judge
n. countablen. a person who makes official decisions in a court of law. This person listens to the facts and decides how to apply the rules or what the punishment should be.
n. a public official appointed to decide cases in a court of law. Often used metonymically to refer to the bench or the judicial authority in a legal proceeding.
The judge listens to both sides of the story.
After hearing all the evidence, the judge decided that the company must pay a fine for the damage.
The presiding judge maintained a neutral expression throughout the witness's testimony, ensuring that the legal proceedings remained focused on the admissible evidence rather than emotional appeals.
Often used with the definite article 'the' to refer to the specific official in a trial; can also be used as a title before a surname.