What does a judge do in a court of law?

Follow live updates judge, public official vested with the authority to hear, determine, and preside over legal matters brought in a court of law. In jury cases, the judge presides over the selection of the panel and instructs it concerning pertinent law. The judge also may rule on motions made before or during a trial.

Who is the central figure in a court?

Nevertheless, the central figure in any court is the judge. The role and power of judges vary enormously, not only from country to country but often within a single country as well.

What is a judge in a common law court called?

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 US practice.

What is a senior judge called?

A senior judge, in US 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 US legal practice are sometimes called magistrates, although in the federal court of the United States, they are called magistrate judges.