Judge Job Description
Judges are responsible for administering court procedures during hearings and trials; establishing new rules; making decisions based on facts; examining evidences on criminal cases; listening to presentation of evidence, testimony and other case-related information; and instructing juries and lawyers of their duties, among others.
Education/Experience Requirements for the job of a Judge: A successful candidate must possess a high school diploma, a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts or a similar field and at least 3 years of law school. To practice, lawyers should then be admitted to the bar of their state. When highly experienced lawyers are appointed or elected to preside over municipal, county, state or federal courts, he/she becomes a judge.
Skills of a Judge include but are not limited to: Effective written and verbal communication skills, analytical and problem-solving skills, interpersonal and case-management skills, sound judgment and excellent research skills. He/she should also be highly ethical, trustworthy, respectful, patient, hardworking and detail oriented.
Specific work elements of the job as a Judge include but are not limited to: Ensuring protection of rights for everyone involved in court procedures; making verdict on cases and selecting possible penalties; overseeing clerical offices of a court; deciding if a court testimony is admissible or not; working in private law offices; performing research and writing opinions, among others. The job of judges varies largely depending on their powers and jurisdictions.
