What Does a Trial Judge Do?
A trial judge is responsible for controlling the process of a criminal case or a civil lawsuit being tried before his court. A judge controls the process of a trial by conducting hearings and making rulings on various issues raised by the parties during the suit. A trial judge also makes rulings on whether to allow certain evidence into trial or exclude it. It is necessary for a trial judge to be well versed in the rules of procedure, the rules of evidence and the substantive law of numerous areas to perform his duties. The judge must serve impartially when hearing cases, which means he must maintain a neutral position and not show favoritism to a particular party in the case.
