A public official vested with the authority to hear and decide legal matters brought before a court of law. A judge must remain impartial, putting aside personal beliefs and life experiences, to render justice. The job demands a high level of intellectual honesty to avoid selectively choosing facts, ingenuously construing cases or disregarding valid arguments in order to reach a pre-determined result. A good judge must also possess courage and integrity, the willingness to follow a course of action that is not the popular one.
Research has shown that certain temperament traits tend to promote desired judicial behaviors and, on the other hand, some trait combinations are ill-suited for judging (Selling, 2010). Judges with high levels of trait positive emotionality are expected to demonstrate desirable judicial behaviors more consistently and in a variety of work settings than judges who do not have these qualities.
For example, imagine two judges interacting with the same lawyer who makes an argument that contradicts an earlier ruling. One judge explodes in anger, startling everyone in the room; the other calmly halts the proceeding and talks to the attorney privately in a sidebar. The former judge likely has high levels of trait positivity and regulation capacity; the latter, not so much.
As a general rule, candidates should be well prepared and have a strong work ethic. This includes a willingness to devote time to learning, such as through attending continuing legal education programs. Judges must be open to new ideas, evolving attitudes, and legal developments as they arise. They must be able to assimilate data from outside their own experience without bias, and they should have the ability to communicate clearly and concisely.