Judges and Magistrates
On the Job
Judges and Magistrates arbitrate and advise on court cases. They may sentence defendants in criminal cases, or determine liability in civil cases. They may also perform wedding ceremonies.
Typical Work Tasks
People who work in this career often:
- Conduct hearings to investigate legal issues.
- Research relevant legal materials to aid decision making.
- Authorize payments to settle legal disputes.
- Make decisions in legal cases.
- Rule on admissibility of legal proceedings.
- Arbitrate disputes between parties to resolve legal conflicts.
- Identify implications for cases from legal precedents or other legal information.
- Prepare written decisions for legal proceedings.
- Administer oaths to court participants.
- Direct courtroom activities or procedures.
Typical Working Conditions
- Freedom to make decisions without supervision.
- Having face-to-face discussions.
- Working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions.
- Sitting.
- Dealing with external customers.
- The importance of being accurate or exact.
- Being in situations in which conflicts arise.
- Meeting strict deadlines.
- Responsibility for outcomes and results.
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Source: You can learn about our data sources in the About Us section.
