Career Profile: Career Profile - Judges, Magistrate Judges, and...

Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 28,500 people employed as career profile - judges, magistrate judges, and... in the United States. The median annual salary is $148,030. Entry level employees earn approximately $46,490 per year and senior employees earn approximately $208,000 (or more) per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• 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.
• Settle disputes between opposing attorneys.
• Impose restrictions upon parties in civil cases until trials can be held.
• Supervise other judges, court officers, and the court's administrative staff.
• Rule on custody and access disputes, and enforce court orders regarding custody and support of children.
• Conduct preliminary hearings to decide issues, such as whether there is reasonable and probable cause to hold defendants in felony cases.
• Grant divorces and divide assets between spouses.
• Participate in judicial tribunals to help resolve disputes.
• Provide information regarding the judicial system or other legal issues through the media and public speeches.
• Perform wedding ceremonies.
• Read documents on pleadings and motions to ascertain facts and issues.
• Rule on admissibility of evidence and methods of conducting testimony.
• Preside over hearings and listen to allegations made by plaintiffs to determine whether the evidence supports the charges.
• Award compensation for damages to litigants in civil cases in relation to findings by juries or by the court.
• Advise attorneys, juries, litigants, and court personnel regarding conduct, issues, and proceedings.
• Research legal issues and write opinions on the issues.
• Interpret and enforce rules of procedure or establish new rules in situations where there are no procedures already established by law.
• Issue arrest warrants.

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