I suggest that you simply bring a copy of the rulebook with you to the contest. I have heard some amazing assertions about judging at contests, even better than what they told you and they told you a whopper! We all make mistakes when judging, but you should not get hammered by a judge because of blatant ignorance of the rules, especially on the simple fundamental parts. Usually you won't run into something as bad as what you described, but having that rule book with you can only help. Most of the time, the person appreciates getting educated on the rules if you can keep it non-confrontational.