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Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
Arbitrate, advise, adjudicate, or administer justice in a court of law. May sentence defendant in criminal cases according to government statutes or sentencing guidelines. May determine liability of defendant in civil cases. May perform wedding ceremonies.
Other titles employers use
Circuit Court Judge · Circuit Judge · County Judge · Court of Appeals Judge · District Court Judge · Judge · Justice of the Peace · Magisterial District Judge
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Sentence defendants in criminal cases, on conviction by jury, according to applicable government statutes.
- Monitor proceedings to ensure that all applicable rules and procedures are followed.
- Instruct juries on applicable laws, direct juries to deduce the facts from the evidence presented, and hear their verdicts.
- Write decisions on cases.
- Read documents on pleadings and motions to ascertain facts and issues.
- Rule on admissibility of evidence and methods of conducting testimony.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to persuading, organizing and helping work.
- Persuading
- Leading, selling, starting projects, or making a case
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Writing
- Speaking
Subjects to know
- Law and Government
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Psychology
- Customer and Personal Service
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Deductive Reasoning
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Inductive Reasoning
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.4 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 1.6 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.9 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 1.9 | Little of the day |
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Document management software
- Electronic mail software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Presentation software
- Word processing software
- Information retrieval or search software
- Legal management software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 4,040
- Job openings each year
- 70
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 20.6%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 4,040 | 70 | 20.6% |
| Texas | 3,090 | 140 | 10.4% |
| Ohio | 2,630 | 100 | 1.5% |
| Florida | 1,430 | 50 | −3.4% |
| Georgia | 1,180 | 50 | 7.3% |
| Washington | 1,140 | 60 | 11.8% |
| New Jersey | 1,040 | 40 | 1.0% |
| Oklahoma | 920 | 40 | 2.2% |
| Colorado | 810 | 40 | 15.7% |
| Indiana | 800 | 30 | — |
| South Carolina | 760 | 40 | 8.6% |
| Michigan | 680 | 20 | −2.9% |
| Minnesota | 680 | 30 | 3.0% |
| Alabama | 580 | 20 | 3.6% |
| Tennessee | 540 | 30 | 10.2% |
| Maryland | 520 | 20 | 4.0% |
| Kansas | 510 | 20 | 4.1% |
| Missouri | 510 | 20 | −1.9% |
| Arizona | 460 | 20 | 2.2% |
| Iowa | 410 | 20 | — |
| Oregon | 390 | 20 | 5.4% |
| Kentucky | 330 | 10 | — |
| Arkansas | 320 | 10 | 3.2% |
| Massachusetts | 320 | 10 | 6.7% |
| Mississippi | 320 | 10 | 6.7% |
| New Mexico | 300 | 10 | 3.4% |
| Nevada | 290 | 10 | 3.6% |
| West Virginia | 290 | 10 | 3.6% |
| Wisconsin | 190 | 10 | 5.6% |
| Connecticut | 180 | 10 | 5.9% |
| Idaho | 160 | 10 | 6.7% |
| Utah | 160 | 10 | 23.1% |
| North Dakota | 150 | 10 | — |
| Delaware | 130 | 10 | — |
| Nebraska | 130 | 10 | — |
| Rhode Island | 130 | 10 | 8.3% |
| Louisiana | 110 | 10 | 10.0% |
| Maine | 90 | 0 | — |
| New Hampshire | 80 | 0 | — |
| South Dakota | 80 | 0 | — |
| Montana | 70 | 0 | 16.7% |
| Vermont | 60 | 0 | — |
| Virgin Islands | 60 | 0 | −25.0% |
| Wyoming | 30 | 0 | — |
Career to college
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