One of the chief elements that separate a civilised society and an uncivilised society is the acceptance of law and the fair dispensation of justice. This is the judge’s job, to ensure that all parties that wish to have their grievances heard and mediated get a fair verdict based on the facts available on hand and to prevent any emotional inclinations to cloud the judgement.
Judges in America perform at least five tasks officially though not all may be carried out in the course of a case. The first step judges carry out is to ensure that court proceedings are carried out with order and in a fair manner thereby ensuring fair representation. The second task that a judge performs is to ensure that all the evidence that is to be used as facts in the trial are legal and have been obtained by legal means. If any evidence is found to be of dubious nature, it is usually dismissed from the case (United States District Court).
Often times in criminal cases, defendants may ask to be judged by a jury of their peers. In this case, jury members are assigned, and the case presented to them for judgement. In these cases, it is the judge’s task to explain the law and the standards to use while deciding a case to the jurors while ensuring that no unfair manipulation of the jurors occurs (Canadian Superior Court Judge Association).
The fourth role a judge performs is that of an adjudicator. In the absence of a jury, it is the judge’s job to decide based on the evidence and arguments of the lawyers, the outcome of the case itself. This is one of the main and hardest roles of a judge as it requires proper knowledge of the law and unerring determination to remain neutral. The final task a judge fulfils is to sentence the guilty according to the laws of the land and justly punish those who are deemed to have wronged others (United States District Court).
References
Canadian Superior Court Judge Association. (2005). The Role of the Judge. Retrieved July 3, 2015, from http://www.cscja-acjcs.ca/role_of_judge-en.asp?l=5
United States District Court. (n.d.). Role of the Judge and Other Courtroom Participants. Retrieved July 3, 2015, from http://www.flnd.uscourts.gov/jurors/courtParticipants.cfm
