trial judge

Trial judge is the judge of a trial court . Cases must be heard by the trial judge before reaching appellate courts . The trial judge will decide motions to dismiss , rule on whether evidence is admissible or not, empanel the jury , preside over the trial , and decide questions of law . At a bench trial , the trial judge will even decide questions of fact , delivering summary judgment in a civil case or a verdict in a criminal case. Litigants generally have a right to appeal decisions of the trial judge, however.

At the federal level, the trial judge is referred to as the district court judge. While all states have a trial level, the terminology differs among states. In New York , for example, the trial court judge is referred to as the Supreme Court Justices.

[Last reviewed in October of 2021 by the Wex Definitions Team ]

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• ACADEMIC TOPICS
• trial process/advocacy
• CIVICS
• THE LEGAL PROCESS
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