District courts do not try cases....
No.
No, a judge cannot close a case without seeing evidence. It is essential for a judge to review all relevant evidence before making a decision in a case.
No, a judge cannot initiate a case.
It will depend on what the judge says. If the judge dismisses the case "With Prejudice" it means that the case cannot be brought again. If the judge dismisses the case "Without Prejudice" it means that the case can be brought again and the person could be charged again.
Yes, absolutely. How do you think that a judge arrives at an appropriate decision or sentence without researching the background of the case and that of the defendant?
A "bench trial" is a case heard by a judge without a jury. In a jury case, the jury decides the facts of the case -- what is true and not true -- and the judge decides the law. In a bench trial, the judge determines the facts and the law.
Roger Taney - a too-elderly judge who (ironically) had started off as an Abolitionist
Everything depends on the unique circumstances of your case - only the judge presiding over your case can answer that question.
jury
A trial to a judge sitting without a jury is called a "bench trial."
You can not. Judge's are forbidden to have any contact with either principal in the case they are hearing without the other side being present.
The plaintiff cannot - that is a judge's prerogative. The plaintiff can REQUEST that a judge consider ruling that way, but it is up to the judge as to whether he will grant it or not.