Individuals who apply the law and oversee the legal process in courts according to local, state and federal statutes. Judges preside over cases concerning every aspect of society from traffic offenses, to disputes over the management of professional sports, to issues concerning the rights of huge corporations, to questions about disconnecting life-support equipment connected to terminally ill persons. They listen as lawyers represent the parties present, rule on the admissibility of evidence and the methods of conducting testimony, and may be called upon to settle disputes between opposing lawyers. They ensure that rules and procedures are followed, and if unusual circumstances arise for which standard procedures have not been established, they determine the manner in which the trial will proceed on the basis of their interpretation of the law.
No programs.