Legal Definitions - special judge

A special judge is a type of judge who is appointed or selected to sit in a specific case, usually in the absence or disqualification of the regular judge or as provided by statute. This type of judge is not a regular member of the court and is only called upon when needed.

• If a regular judge is unable to preside over a case due to illness or conflict of interest, a special judge may be appointed to take their place.
• In some states, special judges are used in certain types of cases, such as traffic violations or small claims court.

These examples illustrate how a special judge is called upon when the regular judge is unable to perform their duties or when a specific type of case requires a specialized judge.