A judge is an individual who makes decisions on legal matters brought to court by citizens. Judges have significant governmental powers and are required to be unbiased and fair in their decision making. Their responsibilities include settling disputes, hearing evidence and arguments from all parties involved, interpreting laws and legal precedents, and protecting the rights of individuals in the legal process. Judges can also serve in specialized courts or at higher levels of the judiciary, such as courts of appeal and supreme courts.
Personality characteristics and behaviors of judges influence judgmental accuracy. One conceptualization of this process, the Realistic Accuracy Model (RAM) describes four stages that must be successful for accurate judgment: the target must have a personality characteristic being judged, the cue must be available to and detected by the judge, and the judge must utilize the cue in their decision making. This study focuses on the first two stages of RAM, examining how personality traits and behaviors of judges may help create situations in which targets are more likely to reveal relevant personality information during unstructured interactions.
As part of their work, judges travel to hear cases at various locations within the jurisdiction where they are based. They also attend judicial conferences, seminars, and meetings to further their professional development and network with other judges and legal professionals. These activities can sometimes require extended periods of time away from home and family. In addition, judges have heavy caseloads and face demanding schedules.
About the Author
