Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates

Also called: Administrative Court Justice, Appellate Court Judge, Ballot Processing Judge, Bankruptcy Judge, Chancery Master

Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates

Varies

estimated salary

Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates arbitrate, advise, adjudicate, or administer justice in a court of law. May sentence defendant in criminal cases according to government statutes or sentencing guidelines. May determine the liability of the defendant in civil cases. May perform wedding ceremonies.

  • Sentence defendants in criminal cases, on conviction by jury, according to applicable government statutes.
  • Monitor proceedings to ensure that all applicable rules and procedures are followed.
  • Instruct juries on applicable laws, direct juries to deduce the facts from the evidence presented, and hear their verdicts.
  • Write decisions on cases.
  • Read documents on pleadings and motions to ascertain facts and issues.
  • Rule on admissibility of evidence and methods of conducting testimony.
  • Preside over hearings and listen to allegations made by plaintiffs to determine whether the evidence supports the charges.
  • Award compensation for damages to litigants in civil cases in relation to findings by juries or by the court.
  • Advise attorneys, juries, litigants, and court personnel regarding conduct, issues, and proceedings.
  • Research legal issues and write opinions on the issues.
  • Interpret and enforce rules of procedure or establish new rules in situations where there are no procedures already established by law.
  • Issue arrest warrants.
  • Settle disputes between opposing attorneys.
  • Impose restrictions upon parties in civil cases until trials can be held.
  • Supervise other judges, court officers, and the court's administrative staff.
  • Rule on custody and access disputes, and enforce court orders regarding custody and support of children.
  • Conduct preliminary hearings to decide issues, such as whether there is reasonable and probable cause to hold defendants in felony cases.
  • Grant divorces and divide assets between spouses.
  • Participate in judicial tribunals to help resolve disputes.
  • Provide information regarding the judicial system or other legal issues through the media and public speeches.
  • Perform wedding ceremonies.
Work Context
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — 100% responded "Every day".
  • Freedom to Make Decisions — 100% responded "A lot of freedom".
  • Structured versus Unstructured Work — 92% responded "A lot of freedom".
  • Face-to-Face Discussions — 89% responded "Every day".
  • Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — 90% responded "Very important results".
  • Electronic Mail — 85% responded "Every day".
  • Spend Time Sitting — 80% responded "Continually or almost continually".
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Work Activities
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
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Detailed Work Activities
  • Inform the public about policies, services or procedures.
  • Serve court ordered documents.
  • Direct courtroom activities or procedures.
  • Make decisions in legal cases.
  • Rule on admissibility of legal proceedings.
  • Conduct hearings to investigate legal issues.
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Knowledge

Law and Government
  • Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
English Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Administration and Management
  • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
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Skills

Active Listening
  • Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
  • Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension
  • Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Judgment and Decision Making
  • Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
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Abilities

Oral Comprehension
  • The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Deductive Reasoning
  • The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Written Comprehension
  • The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Oral Expression
  • The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
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Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
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Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Document management software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat Hot Technology
Office suite software
  • Microsoft Office Hot Technology
Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel Hot Technology
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