judge

Dictionary: judge (jŭj) pronunciation

v., judged, judg·ing, judg·es.

v.tr.

To form an opinion or estimation of after careful consideration: judge heights; judging character.
1. Law. To hear and decide on in a court of law; try: judge a case.
2. Obsolete. To pass sentence on; condemn.
3. To act as one appointed to decide the winners of: judge an essay contest.
To determine or declare after consideration or deliberation.
Informal. To have as an opinion or assumption; suppose: I judge you're right.
Bible. To govern; rule. Used of an ancient Israelite leader.

v.intr.

To form an opinion or evaluation.
To act or decide as a judge.

One who judges, especially:
1. One who makes estimates as to worth, quality, or fitness: a good judge of used cars; a poor judge of character.
2. (Abbr. J.) Law. A public official who hears and decides cases brought before a court of law.
3. Law. A bankruptcy referee.
4. One appointed to decide the winners of a contest or competition.
Bible.
1. A leader of the Israelites during a period of about 400 years between the death of Joshua and the accession of Saul.
2. Judges (used with a sing. verb) (Abbr. Judg. or Jgs or Jg) A book of the Bible.

[Middle English jugen, from Anglo-Norman juger, from Latin iūdicāre, from iūdex, iūdic-, judge.]

SYNONYMS judge, arbitrator, arbiter, referee, umpire. These nouns denote persons who make decisions that determine or settle points at issue. A judge is one capable of making rational, dispassionate, and wise decisions: In this case, the jury members are the judges of the truth. An arbitrator is either appointed or derives authority from the consent of the disputants: An experienced arbitrator mediated the contract dispute. An arbiter is one whose opinion or judgment is recognized as being unassailable or binding: The critic considered himself an arbiter of fine literature. A referee is an attorney appointed by a court to investigate and report on a case: The referee handled many bankruptcy cases each month. An umpire is a person appointed to settle an issue that arbitrators are unable to resolve: The umpire studied complex tax cases. In sports referee and umpire refer to officials who enforce the rules and settle points at issue.

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Thesaurus: judge

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verb

To arrive at (a conclusion) from evidence or reasoning: conclude, deduce, deduct, draw, gather, infer, understand. See reason/unreason.
To make a judgment as to the worth or value of: appraise, assay, assess, calculate, estimate, evaluate, gauge, rate¹, size up, valuate, value. Idioms: take the measure of. See value/worthlessness/evaluation.
To make a decision about (a controversy or dispute, for example) after deliberation, as in a court of law: adjudge, adjudicate, arbitrate, decide, decree, determine, referee, rule, umpire. See decide/hesitate, law.
To have an opinion: believe, consider, deem, hold, opine, think. Informal figure. Idioms: be of the opinion. See opinion.

noun

A person who evaluates and reports on the worth of something: commentator, critic, reviewer. See value/worthlessness/evaluation.
A public official who decides cases brought before a court of law in order to administer justice: jurisprudent, jurist, justice, justice of the peace, magistrate. See decide/hesitate, law.
A person, usually appointed, who decides the issues or results, or supervises the conduct, of a competition or conflict: arbiter, arbitrator, referee, umpire. Sports ref, ump. See decide/hesitate.

Idioms: judge

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Idioms beginning with judge:
judge a book by its cover, one can't

In addition to the idiom beginning with judge, also see sober as a judge. Also see judgment.

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: judge

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Public official vested with the authority to hear, determine, and preside over legal matters brought in court. In jury cases, the judge presides over the selection of the panel and instructs it concerning pertinent law. The judge may also rule on motions made before or during a trial. In the U.S., judges are elected or appointed. Most federal judges are appointed for life by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate. The highest-ranking judge in the U.S. legal system is the chief justice of the Supreme Court. See also judgment, judiciary, magistrate's court, Missouri Plan.

For more information on judge, visit Britannica.com.

Law Encyclopedia: Judge

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This entry contains information applicable to United States law only.

To make a decision or reach a conclusion after examining all the factual evidence presented. To form an opinion after evaluating the facts and applying the law.

A public officer chosen or elected to preside over and to administer the law in a court of justice; one who controls the proceedings in a courtroom and decides questions of law or discretion.

As a verb the term judge generally describes a process of evaluation and decision. In a legal case this process may be conducted by either a judge or a jury. Decisions in any case must be based on applicable law. Where the case calls for a jury verdict, the judge tells the jury what law applies to the case.

As a noun judge refers to a person authorized to make decisions. A judge is a court officer authorized to decide legal cases. A judge presiding over a case may initiate investigations on related matters, but generally judges do not have the power to conduct investigations for other branches or agencies of government.

Judges must decide cases based on the applicable law. In some cases a judge may be asked to declare that a certain law is unconstitutional. Judges have the power to rule that a law is unconstitutional and therefore void, but they must give proper deference to the legislative body that enacted the law.

There are two types of judges: trial court and appellate. Trial court judges preside over trials, usually from beginning to end. They decide pretrial motions, define the scope of discovery, set the trial schedule, rule on oral motions during trial, control the behavior of participants and the pace of the trial, advise the jury of the law in a jury trial, and sentence a guilty defendant in a criminal case.

Appellate judges hear appeals from decisions of the trial courts. They review trial court records, read briefs submitted by the parties, and listen to oral arguments by attorneys, and then decide whether error or injustice occurred in the trial.

Judges can also be distinguished according to theirjurisdiction. For example, federal court judges differ from state court judges. They operate in different courtrooms, and they hear different types of cases. A federal court judge hears cases that fall within federal jurisdiction. Generally, this means cases that involve a question of federal law or the U.S. Constitution, involve parties from different states, or name the United States as a party. State court judges hear cases involving state law, and they also have jurisdiction over many federal cases.

Some judges can hear only certain cases in special courts with limitedsubject matter jurisdiction. For example, a federal bankruptcy court judge may preside over only bankruptcy cases. Other special courts with limited subject matter jurisdiction include tax, probate, juvenile, and traffic courts.

Justices make up the upper echelon of appellate judges. The term justice generally describes judges serving on the highest court in a jurisdiction. In some jurisdictions a justice may be any appellate judge.

Judges are either appointed or elected. On the federal level, district court judges, appellate court judges, and justices of the Supreme Court are appointed by the president subject to the approval of Congress. On the state level, judges may be appointed by the governor, selected by a joint ballot of the two houses of the state legislature, or elected by the voters of the state.

On the federal level, judges have lifetime tenure. Most state court judges hold their office for a specified number of years. If a state court judge is appointed by the governor, the judge's term may be established by the governor. In some states a judge's term is fixed by statute. All state jurisdictions have a mandatory retirement age. In New Hampshire, for example, a judge must retire by age 70 (N.H. Const. pt. 2, art. 78). There is no mandatory retirement age for justices and judges on the federal level.

Judges' retirement benefits are provided for by statute. On the federal level, a retiring judge may receive for the remainder of the judge's life the salary that she or he was receiving at the time of retirement. To qualify for retirement benefits, a judge must meet minimum service requirements. For example, a judge who retires at age 65 must have served 15 years as a judge in the federal court system; at age 66, 14 years; and so on until age 70 (§ 371). If a judge is forced to retire because of disability and has not qualified for benefits under § 371, the judge may still receive a full salary for life if she or he served 10 years. If the judge served less than 10 years, she or he may receive half of her or his salary for life (28 U.S.C.A. § 372).

Judges must follow ethical rules. In all jurisdictions statutes specify that a judge may hold office only during a time of good behavior. If a judge violates the law or an ethical rule, the judge may be removed from office. In jurisdictions in which judges are elected, they may be removed from office by popular vote or impeached by act of the legislature. In states where judges are appointed, the legislature or the governor is authorized to remove them from office, but only for ethical or legal violations. This is because the power of the judiciary is separate from and equal to the power of the legislative and executive branches, and unfettered control of the judiciary by the other two branches would upset the balance of power.

Judges are distinct from magistrates. Magistrates are court officers who are empowered by statute to decide pretrial issues and preside over minor cases. Their judicial powers are limited. In the federal court system, for example, magistrates may not preside over felony criminal trials. They may preside over civil trials and misdemeanor criminal trials, but only with the consent of all the parties (28 U.S.C.A. §§ 631-639).

See: Code of Judicial Conduct; Court Opinion; Discretion in Decision Making; Judicial Action; Judicial Review.

Word Tutor: judge

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IN BRIEF: To form an opinion after careful examination. Also: A person who hears court cases.

Never judge a book by its movie. — J.W. Eagan.

Wikipedia: Judge

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For other uses, see Judge (disambiguation).

This article needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2007)

Judge
Sir Lyman Poore Duff, PC, GCMG, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada
Occupation
Names	Judge, justice, magistrate
Type	Profession
Activity sectors	Law
Description
Competencies	Analytical mind, critical thinking, impartiality, commercial sense
Education required	Usually experience as an advocate
Fields of employment	Courts
Related jobs	Barrister, solicitor, prosecutor

A judge, or arbiter of justice, is a lead official who presides over a court of law, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is like an umpire in a game and conducts the trial impartially and in an open court. The judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the parties of the case, assesses the credibility of the parties, and then issues a ruling on the matter at hand based on his or her interpretation of the law and his or her own personal judgement. In some jurisdictions, the judge's powers may be shared with a jury.

1 Symbols of office
2 Titles and forms of address
3 Biblical Judges
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

Symbols of office

Being a judge is usually a prestigious and solemn position in society. A variety of traditions have become associated with the occupation.

In many parts of the world, judges wear long robes (usually in black or red) and sit on an elevated platform during trials (known as the bench).

In some countries, especially in the Commonwealth of Nations, judges sometimes wear wigs. The long wig often associated with judges is now reserved for ceremonial occasions, although it was part of the standard attire in previous centuries. A short wig resembling but not identical to a barrister's wig would be worn in court. This tradition, however, is being phased out in Britain in non-criminal courts.^[1]

American judges frequently wear black robes. American judges have ceremonial gavels, although American judges have court deputies or bailiffs and "contempt of court" power as their main devices to maintain decorum in the courtroom. However, in some Western states, like California, judges did not always wear robes and instead wore everyday clothing. Today, some members of state supreme courts, such as the Maryland Court of Appeals wear distinct dress.

In Italy both judges and lawyers wear particular black robes.

In the People's Republic of China, judges wore regular street clothes until 1984, when they began to wear military-style uniforms, which were intended to demonstrate authority. These uniforms were replaced in 2000 by black robes similar to those worn in the rest of the world.

In Oman, the judge wears a long stripe (Red, Green and White), while the attorneys wear the black gown.

Titles and forms of address

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (May 2008)

Australia

in Australia since 2007 magistrates and judges of all jurisdictions including the High Court of Australia are now referred to as "Your Honour" or "His Honour Mr Justice Forename Surname" and a concerted effort is being made by state law societies and bar associations to petition parliament for the removal of wigs and gowns as they are considered to be a throwback to 19th century Britain. It has been noted in a study done by the Queensland law society in 2007 that 76% of the Australian general public believe that the antiquated legal garb seems to make barristers and Judges out of touch with modern society.

Commonwealth and United Kingdom

In England and Wales (and much of the Commonwealth) judges of the higher courts are addressed as "My Lord" or "My Lady" and referred to as "Your Lordship" or "Your Ladyship". Circuit Judges are addressed as "Your Honour" and all lower judges, magistrates, and chairs of tribunals are addressed as "Your Worship" or "Sir/Madam".

Magistrates are still addressed as "Your Worship" in Britain, South Africa and Canada, mainly by solicitors, but this practice in other Commonwealth countries is nearly obsolete.

Masters of the High Court are addressed as "Master". When a judge of the High Court who is not present is being referred to they are described as "Mr./Mrs. Justice N" (written N J). In the House of Lords, judges are called Law Lords and sit as peers.

European Union

In France, the presiding judge of a court is addressed to as "Mr./Mrs. President" (Monsieur le président/Madame le président). In Germany as "Mr./Mrs. Chairman (Herr Vorsitzender/Frau Vorsitzende). In Italy the presiding judge of a court is addressed as well to as "Mr./Mrs. President" ("Signor presidente della corte").

India

In India, judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts are addressed as 'Your Lordship'/'My Lord' and 'Your Ladyship'/'My Lady', a tradition directly attributable to England. However, a resolution of the Bar Council of India calls upon lawyers not to address the judges as Lords/Ladies, they having nothing to with nobility in a constitutional democracy. Lawyers however continue to so address judges - partly out of entrenched habit and partly out of fear of falling in disfavour with them. Subordinate court judges (District, Magistrate, Munsif and Sub-judges) are addressed as 'Your Honour'.

Malaysia

In Malaysia, judges of the subordinate courts are addressed as "Tuan" or "Puan" (Sir or Madam), while judges of the superior courts are addressed as "Yang Arif" (lit. "Learned One") or My Lord/Lady and Your Lordship/Ladyship if the proceedings, as they generally are in the superior courts, are in English.

Spain

In Spain, Magistrates of the Supreme Court, Magistrates and Judges are addressed to as "Your Lordship" (Su Señoría); however, in formal occasions, Magistrates of the Supreme Court are adressed to as "Your Right Honorable Lordship" (Vuestra Señoría Excelentísima or Excelentísimo Señor/Excelentísima Señora); in those solemn occasions, Magistrates of lower Courts are addressed as "Your Honorable Lordship" (Vuestra Señoría Ilustrísima or Ilustrísimo Señor/Ilustrísima Señora); simple Judges are always called "Your Lordship".

Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, judges of all courts are addressed as "Your Honour", however the Chief Justice his addressed as "Your Lordship". Judges of the Supreme Court and the Appeal Court receives the title "The Honourable".

United States

An American judge talking to a lawyer.

In the United States, a judge is addressed as "Your Honor" or "Judge" when presiding over the court. The judges of the Supreme Court of the United States, and the judges of the supreme courts of several U.S. states and other countries are called "justices" or "judges of the peace".

The justices of the supreme courts usually hold higher offices than the justice of the peace, a judge who holds police court in some jurisdictions and who typically tries small claims and misdemeanors. However, the state of New York inverts the usual order, with the Supreme Court of the State of New York being the most important trial court, and the Court of Appeals being the highest court; thus, New York trial judges are called "justices", while the judges on the Court of Appeals are "judges". New York judges who deal with guardianships, trusts and estates are known as "surrogates".

A senior judge, in U.S. practice, is a retired judge who handles selected cases for a governmental entity while in retirement, on a part-time basis.

Subordinate or inferior jurisdiction judges in U.S. legal practice are sometimes called magistrates, although in the federal court of the United States, they are called magistrate judges. Subordinate judges in U.S. legal practice appointed on a case-by-case basis, particularly in cases where a great deal of detailed and tedious evidence must be reviewed, are often called "masters" or "special masters" and have authority in a particular case often determined on a case by case basis.

Judges of courts of specialized jurisdiction (such as bankruptcy courts or juvenile courts) were sometimes known officially as "referees," but the use of this title is in decline. Judges sitting in courts of equity in common law systems (such as judges in the equity courts of Delaware) are called "Chancellors".

Individuals with judicial responsibilities who report to an executive branch official, rather than being a part of the judiciary, are often called "administrative law judges" in U.S. practice and commonly make initial determinations regarding matters such as eligibility for government benefits, regulatory matters, and immigration determinations.

Judges who derive their authority from a contractual agreement of the parties to a dispute, rather than a governmental body are called arbitrators, and typically do not receive the honorific forms of address, and do not have the symbolic trappings, of a publicly appointed judge.

Biblical Judges

The Biblical Book of Judges revolves around a succession of leaders who were known as "Judges" (Hebrew shoftim שופטים) but who - aside from their judicial function - were also tribal war leaders, leading in war against threatening enemies. The same word is, however, used in contemporary Israel to denote judges whose function and authority is similar to that in other modern countries.

References

^ http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BRITAIN_JUDGES_WIGS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

External links

State of California Commission of Judicial Performance
(French) LETHUILLIER Guillaume, Le juge dans le débat constitutionnel américain, 1787 - 1803

Europe
M.E.D.E.L European association of judges and public prosecutors.

CEPEJ European commission for the efficiency of justice.
CCJE European consultative council of judges.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

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Translations: Judge

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - dommer, sagkyndig, kender
v. tr. - dømme, bedømme, skønne, regne for, anse for, mene
v. intr. - dømme, bedømme, skønne

Nederlands (Dutch)
rechter, jurylid, kenner, (mv) Richteren, oordelen, rechtspreken, een oordeel vellen, als rechter/ beoordelaar optreden, concluderen/ beschouwen

Français (French)
n. - membre d'un jury, arbitre, connaisseur, autorité, (Jur, Sport) juge, membre du jury, (le livre des) Juges (Bible), (fig) connaisseur, juge
v. tr. - juger (qn, une conduite), apprécier (les qualités), estimer (que), s'estimer (prêt/compétent)
v. intr. - juger, rendre un jugement

Deutsch (German)
n. - Richter, Kenner, Kampfrichter
v. - urteilen über, richten, bewerten, Richter sein, verhandeln, ein Urteil sprechen

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - κριτής, δικαστής, γνώστης, ειδήμων
v. - (εκ)δικάζω, κρίνω, υπολογίζω, θεωρώ

Italiano (Italian)
giudicare, intenditore, arbitro

Português (Portuguese)
n. - juiz (m)
v. - julgar

Русский (Russian)
судья, арбитр, ценитель, знаток, судить, выносить приговор, быть арбитром, составлять мнение(о чем-л.), полагать

Español (Spanish)
n. - conocedor, entendido, árbitro, perito, juez, jurado, miembro de un jurado
v. tr. - opinar, juzgar, arbitrar, declarar, considerar, estimar, calcular
v. intr. - juzgar, estimar, formar una opinión sobre o de

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - domare, sakkunnig, bedömare
v. - döma, bestämma, bedöma, förmoda, tjänstgöra som domare, anse

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
法官, 推事, 审判官, 审理, 判断, 鉴定, 下判断, 作评价

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 法官, 推事, 審判官
v. tr. - 審理, 判斷, 鑒定
v. intr. - 下判斷, 作評價

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 재판관, 심사원, 감정가
v. tr. - 재판하다, 심사하다, 판단하다
v. intr. - 판정하다, ~으로 판단하다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 裁判官, 判事, 審判, 審査員, 鑑定家, 批評家
v. - 裁判する, 判決を下す, 判断する, 審判する, 鑑定する

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) قاض, حكم, خبير (فعل) حكم, قرر حكما, قدر, انتقد, كون رائيا‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮שופט, מבין, מומחה, סמכות, חורץ משפט, מושבע‬
v. tr. - ‮שפט, פסק, חשב, הרשיע‬
v. intr. - ‮שימש שופט, העריך, הסיק מסקנה‬

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		Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more
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		Idioms. The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more
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