History Main / CircuitJudge

* The Adjudicator in the ''Series/DoctorWho'' story ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS8E4ColonyInSpace Colony In Space]]'' is a Circuit Judge [[RecycledInSpace IN SPACE]]! Or he would be, if he wasn't [[spoiler: the Master]].

In England and Wales, these were called "justices of assize", part of the Courts of Assize and finally abolished in 1972. The Courts Act that abolished the Assize Courts established the system of "[[UsefulNotes/BritishCourts Circuit Judges]]" in modern England and Wales (they wear purple robes and are often called "circus judges" for a laugh); although they might sit in a few different jurisdictions they don't follow a regular "circuit" as such. Circuit judges were also present in Medieval China, which, given that China is about the same size as the United States and often had (and still has!) relatively underpopulated "frontier" areas, should come as no surprise. They were particularly common during the Tang dynasty.

Instead, outside the major cities, a judge would be assigned a territory, the "circuit". He would move from place to place within the territory, "riding the circuit", trying any new cases that had come up since the last time he'd held court in that jurisdiction. Often, the judge would be accompanied by several "circuit lawyers" who traveled with the judge to find clients in need of their services. UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln was a circuit lawyer for a while.

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

* Gold Key published four issues of a ''ComicBook/JudgeColt'' comic book.

[[folder: Film ]]

* ''Film/HangEmHigh'' is a version where the Circuit Judge is actually a major supporting character- and he is the original HangingJudge (he was called that during his own lifetime) who is in charge of all cases in "Indian Territory" (Oklahoma). The main protagonist (Clint Eastwood) is the Marshal for the judge.
* Luke Perry plays circuit judge John Goodnight in TV movie trilogy; ''Film/GoodnightForJustice'', ''Goodnight for Justice: The Measure of a Man'' and ''Goodnight for Justice: Queen of Hearts''.

* In ''Film/FortyGuns'', Judge Macy is the circuit judge for Cochise County, and completely in the pocket of Jessica Drummond. However, not even he will attempt to make a charge of murdering a USMarshal go away.

[[folder: Literature ]]

* There was a series of paperback westerns called ''The Judge'' by Hank Edwards about a gun-toting circuit judge.
* In the ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' series, this is one of the main peacetime duties of the Heralds; one entire book, ''Arrow's Flight'', consists of the protagonists riding circuit, and it makes up a majority of the plot of ''Bastion'' as well.
* Creator/TimothyZahn's ''Literature/{{Dragonback}}'' series has a space version, where Judge-Paladins travel from planet to planet. In the fifth book, the main character is corralled into serving as a Judge-Paladin for an isolated group of aliens. [[spoiler: He discovers shortly afterward that his parents were Judge-Paladins who were killed while visiting the same group of aliens.]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* Creator/RobertVaughn played one of these in ''Series/TheMagnificentSeven'' TV series. He was a ReasonableAuthorityFigure and paid the Seven to keep the peace in the town during his frequent absences.
* Creator/{{SBS}} show ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Circuit_%28TV_series%29 The Circuit]]'' is about a modern day example of this, following the court as it goes on its circuit of remote Aboriginal communities in the West Australian outback.

* ''Series/TheOuterLimits1995'' episode "Rule of Law" has a judge travel to an alien planet to preside over the case of an alien accused of attacking humans.

[[folder: Tabletop Games ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* Gold Key published four issues of a ''Judge Colt'' comic book.

* Robert Vaughn played one of these in ''Series/TheMagnificentSeven'' TV series. He was a ReasonableAuthorityFigure and paid the Seven to keep the peace in the town during his frequent absences.

In fiction, the CircuitJudge generally moves plots by his absence. If the protagonist is WronglyAccused, he will have to cool his heels in jail until the judge comes, allowing the real crook to finish his evil scheme or leave town. Time for a jail break!

* In the ''Literature/BenSnow'' story "Dagger Money", Ben is hired to protect a CircuitJudge.

* The Adjudicator in the ''Series/DoctorWho'' story ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS8E4ColonyInSpace Colony In Space]]'' is a CircuitJudge [[RecycledInSpace IN SPACE]]! Or he would be, if he wasn't [[spoiler: the Master]].

* The Silver Ladder, An organization within the larger ''Mage: The Awakening'' has Lictors: wizard judges that circulate within a prescribed area and judge people.

[[AC:ComicBooks]]

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
* There was a series of paperback westerns called ''The Judge'' by Hank Edwards about a gun-toting circuit judge.

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

[[AC:TabletopGames]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/YogiBear'', an imprisoned criminal's henchmen did their best to prevent the circuit judge from entering their town so the criminal would have to eventually be released. Unable to get past them, the judge made ''WesternAnimation/{{Snagglepuss}}'' the new judge and had him preside over the trial.

In England and Wales, these were called "justices of assize", part of the Courts of Assize and finally abolished in 1972. The Courts Act that abolished the Assize Courts established the system of "[[BritishCourts Circuit Judges]]" in modern England and Wales (they wear purple robes and are often called "circus judges" for a laugh); although they might sit in a few different jurisdictions they don't follow a regular "circuit" as such. Circuit judges were also present in Medieval China, which, given that China is about the same size as the United States and often had (and still has!) relatively underpopulated "frontier" areas, should come as no surprise. They were particularly common during the Tang dynasty.

* JudgeDee is the Tang dynasty-China version, moving from jurisdiction to jurisdiction every three years (so as to avoid getting judges too chummy with the locals, leading to corruption).

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'''Examples:'''

* In ''WesternAnimation/YogiBear'', an imprisoned criminal's henchmen did their best to prevent the circuit judge from entering their town so the criminal would have to eventually be released. Unable to get past them, the judge made ''WesternAnimation/{{Snagglepuss}}'' the new judge and had him preside over the trial.

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* In ''WesternAnimation/YogiBear'', an imprisoned criminal's henchmen did their best to prevent the circuit judge from entering their town so the criminal would have to eventually be released. Unable to get past them, the judge made ''Snagglepuss'' the new judge and had him preside over the trial.

* In the ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' series, this is one of the main peacetime duties of the Heralds; one entire book, ''Arrow's Flight'', consists of the protagonists riding circuit.

* ''{{The Sons Of Katie Elder}}'' uses a combination of WronglyAccused and ShamingTheMob, followed by moving the prisoners to where the circuit judge is.
* ''HangEmHigh'' is a version where the Circuit Judge is actually a major supporting character- and he is the original HangingJudge (he was called that during his own lifetime) who is in charge of all cases in "Indian Territory" (Oklahoma). The main protagonist (Clint Eastwood) is the Marshal for the judge.
* Luke Perry plays circuit judge John Goodnight in TV movie trilogy; ''GoodnightForJustice'', ''Goodnight for Justice: The Measure of a Man'' and ''Goodnight for Justice: Queen of Hearts''.
* Judge Spicer is the circuit judge for that part of the Arizona Territory in ''{{Film/Tombstone}}''.

* In the ''HeraldsOfValdemar'' series, this is one of the main peacetime duties of the Heralds; one entire book, ''Arrow's Flight'', consists of the protagonists riding circuit.
* TimothyZahn's ''{{Dragonback}}'' series has a space version, where Judge-Paladins travel from planet to planet. In the fifth book, the main character is corralled into serving as a Judge-Paladin for an isolated group of aliens. [[spoiler: He discovers shortly afterward that his parents were Judge-Paladins who were killed while visiting the same group of aliens.]]