ABA Family Legal Guide

How the Legal System Works

The Structure of the Court System

Judges

What is a judge's role in court?

Judges are like umpires in baseball or referees in football or basketball. Their role is to see that both sides follow the rules of procedure. Like the umpire, they call 'em as they see 'em, according to the facts and law--without regard to which side is popular (no home field advantage); without regard to who is "favored"; without regard for what the spectators want; and without regard to whether the judge personally agrees with the position taken by either party.