Part of speech: n.
Quotation: Q: What is reference judging? A: In California, it’s called “rent a judge,” a pejorative term. Here, about 15 years ago, we passed a statute that allowed parties to retain someone who has been approved by the Supreme Court to sit on a reference-judge panel in certain judicial districts.…If the parties agree—and it cannot be a jury trial or a criminal trial—they can select a person who has been approved to be on that panel, mostly retired judges but some lawyers. That person will try their case just as though it was tried before a regular sitting judge.
Author:
Peter Wong
Publishing location:
Salem, Oregon
Date of publication:
Sept. 25, 2006
This catchword has yet to be researched.
Comments:
Why is “rent a judge” a pejorative term? I discovered the term reading a book about private justice. Private judges are fairer and more efficient at settling disputes than public judges.
by Daniel Morin 21 Jul 08, 1222 GMT