puisne

Puisne is a legal term derived from the French plus jeune, meaning younger. In judicial usage, puisne refers to a judge who is not the presiding or senior judge of a court; it denotes a junior or ordinary position within the court’s ranks. The term originated in medieval and early modern English law and remains common in several common-law jurisdictions, though its precise application varies by jurisdiction and time.

In England and Wales, puisne judge commonly refers to a High Court judge who is not the Chief Justice of the High Court or other senior court leader. All High Court judges are styled as judges, and the epithet puisne is often used in formal or historical contexts to distinguish between senior and junior judges of the same court when necessary. In practice, the role and responsibilities of a puisne judge resemble those of other High Court judges, including presiding over civil and criminal cases, hearing appeals, and delivering judgments.

In other common-law jurisdictions, the term has been used similarly to indicate junior judges. In India, for example, puisne judges are judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts other than the Chief Justice. The precise usage varies, and some jurisdictions have moved toward more gender-neutral or position-neutral terminology.

Overall, puisne serves as a traditional, formal label for a non-senior judge within a court, reflecting historical hierarchies that persist in contemporary language even as operational roles converge across ranks.