Legal Definitions - senior judge

A senior judge is a judge who has served for the longest time on a given court. It can also refer to a federal or state judge who qualifies for senior status and chooses this status over retirement. Senior judges have the same authority as active judges, but they have a reduced caseload and can choose which cases they want to hear.

Judge Smith has been serving on the District Court for 30 years. He is the most senior judge on the court and is referred to as the senior judge. He still hears cases, but he has a reduced caseload and can choose which cases he wants to hear.

This example illustrates the definition of a senior judge as a judge who has served for the longest time on a given court. Judge Smith's seniority gives him the privilege of having a reduced caseload and the ability to choose which cases he wants to hear.