juge

Juge is the French word for a judge, a public official who presides over a court and rules on cases, applying the law and ensuring due process. In Francophone legal systems, a juge sits on a bench to adjudicate civil, criminal, or administrative matters. Judges are typically appointed or selected according to the country’s legal framework; in France they are generally career magistrates who enter the judiciary through a formal process and rigorous training. A juge may perform various duties, including presiding over hearings, ruling on evidence, and issuing judgments or court orders.

French judges can have specialized roles. For example, juge d'instruction (investigating judge) oversees pre-trial investigations in serious criminal cases; juge des enfants handles matters involving minors; and juge d'application des peines supervises the enforcement and supervision of sentences. The exact titles and responsibilities vary by country and legal tradition, but the core function—to interpret and apply the law and to ensure fair proceedings—remains central.

Etymology and usage: the word comes from Latin iudex, meaning "one who judges," and is cognate with the English word judge. The feminine form exists in French as une juge. Beyond the courtroom, the term can appear in religious or literary contexts to denote a divine or ultimate judge, or in familial names, as Juge can be a surname in French-speaking regions.

See also: jugement, magistrat, tribunal, judicature.