Legal Definitions - presiding officer

A presiding officer is a person who holds an office of trust, authority, or command and is authorized by the government to exercise a specific function. This can include:

• A government official holding public office under a national, state, or local government
• A corporate officer elected or appointed by the board of directors to manage the daily operations of a corporation
• An administrative officer of the executive department of government
• A hearing officer or administrative law judge

For example, a judge in a courtroom is a presiding officer who is authorized by the government to exercise the function of interpreting and applying the law in a specific case. Similarly, a CEO of a corporation is a presiding officer who is authorized by the board of directors to manage the daily operations of the company.