A judge who shares judicial authority and responsibility with another judge or judges in deciding cases.
From 'co-' (together) + 'judge,' from Old French 'juge,' Latin 'judex' (one who says the law). Used in legal systems where multiple judges rule jointly.
Some countries like Germany use cojudges—regular citizens who sit alongside professional judges—as a check on legal power. It's a word that reveals different philosophies about whether law should be decided by experts alone or with community input.
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