Courtroom player Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Courtroom player - Essay Example It is no doubt that a judge is a key figure in the courtroom; the two opposing parties in a case usually come before a judge to present their cases. The judge gives both sides the opportunity to present their version of the facts relevant to the case at hand. The judges oversee the trial and make legal decisions which may arise. In addition, they sentence convicted criminal offenders in the case of criminal cases, and make decisions regarding the outcomes of civil cases and the appropriate remedy (Arizona Supreme Court, 2010). The general responsibilities of the judges and how they perform them often raises the ethic and moral questions; the decisions that they make always border on some ethic and moral issues. Since the concept of ethics and morals are central to judges, most jurisdictions have provided ethical and moral codes that should guide the judges (Kay, 1995). That notwithstanding, judges are faced with several legal and ethical issues. The first ethical and moral issue that judges face is the issue of fairness and justice. Judges are required to make decisions that are fair and just. As such, they should use their discretion and abilities to achieve this by ensuring that every proceeding is fair and the subsequent decisions are just as fair and just. In other words, both parties should at the end be satisfied with the decision, or at least see that justice has been done. The second ethical and moral issue that the judges face is that of public confidence. Courts all over the world are considered as the places that uphold the highest level of justice, fairness and equality (Kay, 1995). This explains why individuals who are aggrieved by others use court as the last resort to seek justice, remedy, and fairness. However, factors such as historical injustices in the courts, nepotism, and corruption can greatly dent the perception that the public have about the courts. Therefore, it is very critical for judges to mainta in public confidence