One of our most important rights
—the right to a fair trial—
rests on the shoulders of judges
and hearing officers.
They conduct pretrial hearings,
resolve administrative disputes,
facilitate negotiations
between opposing parties,
and issue legal decisions.
Judges hear cases that range from
traffic offenses
to the rights of large corporations.
Before a trial, they often review documents,
research legal issues,
and listen to arguments
to determine if a trial is warranted.
Depending on the case,
judges either instruct jurors on the law
and guide them in considering evidence,
or decide the case directly,
determining whether a sentence
or penalty is justified.
Critically, they ensure fair proceedings
so that the legal rights
of all involved parties are protected.
Administrative law judges,
adjudicators, and hearing officers
operate outside the courts—
they work for government agencies,
on issues such as determining eligibility
for workers’ compensation benefits
or verifying a case of
employment discrimination.
Judges and hearing officers
work for state, local, and federal governments.
Hours are full time,
sometimes with evening and weekend hours,
and on-call duty for emergencies.
Although a few positions
require only a bachelor’s degree…
a law degree, license,
and years of work experience
as a lawyer are typically required for judges
or hearing officers.
Some positions are elected…
others are appointed…
for terms lasting from 4 years to life.