Judge vs. Arbiter — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Fiza Rafique — Updated on May 9, 2024
A judge is an official who presides over court proceedings, often with the power to enforce the law, while an arbiter is a neutral party who helps resolve disputes outside of court, usually in arbitration or negotiations.
Difference Between Judge and Arbiter
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
A judge typically operates within a formal court system, making binding legal decisions after reviewing evidence and hearing arguments. An arbiter, on the other hand, functions in a less formal setting, often chosen by disputing parties to provide a binding or advisory resolution.
Judges are appointed or elected and work for the government, ensuring legal proceedings align with established laws. In contrast, an arbiter is often a private individual or entity chosen by both parties due to their expertise in the matter at hand.
A judge is responsible for ensuring that court procedures are fair and that verdicts adhere to legal statutes. An arbiter is more flexible, focusing on reaching a mutually agreed-upon resolution, while not being strictly bound by legal technicalities.
Judges typically have a public-facing role and their decisions are often a matter of public record. Arbiters, however, often operate in a confidential environment, keeping proceedings and outcomes private.
Judges often resolve cases by applying legal principles and precedents, which may sometimes limit creativity in decision-making. Arbiters, while also guided by legal frameworks, may tailor their decisions to the specific needs and interests of the disputants.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Role
Court official
Neutral dispute resolver
Appointment
Appointed/elected by the state
Chosen by parties involved
Authority
Formal legal power
Based on party agreement
Setting
Public courtroom
Private arbitration
Decision Impact
Legally binding, public record
Binding or advisory, private
Compare with Definitions
Judge
To form an opinion or conclusion about something.
She tried not to judge the new employee too quickly.
Arbiter
A decision-maker in informal dispute resolution.
An arbiter was called to mediate the family disagreement.
Judge
An official with the authority to hear and resolve legal cases.
The judge ruled in favor of the plaintiff.
Arbiter
A neutral party selected to resolve disputes.
The companies agreed on an arbiter for their contract dispute.
Judge
An expert in a specific field who evaluates contests.
The wine judge tasted over 50 varieties.
Arbiter
A person or organization with ultimate authority over a matter.
The national arbiter of fashion declared that pastels were in.
Judge
One who gives an authoritative opinion.
The art judge awarded the painting first place.
Arbiter
A trusted individual whose judgment is accepted in a specific area.
The CEO acted as the final arbiter for company disputes.
Judge
To preside over court proceedings.
He was appointed to judge the high-profile trial.
Arbiter
Someone with influence over determining outcomes.
The customer ultimately acts as an arbiter of product success.
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions.
Arbiter
One agreed upon or appointed to judge or decide a disputed issue; an arbitrator.
Judge
To form an opinion or estimation of after careful consideration
Judge heights.
Judging character.
Arbiter
One whose opinion or judgment is considered authoritative or worthy of respect
An arbiter of fashion.
Judge
(Law) To hear and decide on in a court of law
Judge a case.
Arbiter
A person appointed, or chosen, by parties to determine a controversy between them; an arbitrator.
Judge
To pass sentence on; condemn.
Arbiter
A person or object having the power of judging and determining, or ordaining, without control; one whose power of deciding and governing is not limited.
Television and film, not Vogue and similar magazines, are the arbiters of fashion.
Judge
To act as one appointed to decide the winners of
Judge an essay contest.
Arbiter
(electronics) A component in circuitry that allocates scarce resources.
Judge
To determine or declare after consideration or deliberation
Most people judged him negligent in performing his duties as a parent.
Arbiter
(transitive) To act as arbiter.
Judge
(Informal) To have as an opinion or assumption; suppose
I judge you're right.
Arbiter
A person appointed, or chosen, by parties to determine a controversy between them.
Judge
(Bible) To govern; rule. Used of an ancient Israelite leader.
Arbiter
Any person who has the power of judging and determining, or ordaining, without control; one whose power of deciding and governing is not limited.
For Jove is arbiter of both to man.
Judge
To form an opinion or evaluation.
Arbiter
To act as arbiter between.
Judge
To act or decide as a judge.
Arbiter
Someone with the power to settle matters at will;
She was the final arbiter on all matters of fashion
Judge
One who makes estimates as to worth, quality, or fitness
A good judge of used cars.
A poor judge of character.
Arbiter
Someone chosen to judge and decide a disputed issue
Judge
(Law) A public official who hears and decides cases brought in court.
Judge
(Law) A public official who hears and decides cases or matters in a forum other than a court, such as an administrative proceeding.
Judge
One appointed to decide the winners of a contest or competition.
Judge
A leader of the Israelites during a period of about 400 years between the death of Joshua and the accession of Saul.
Judge
Judges (used with a sing. verb) See Table at Bible.
Judge
A public official whose duty it is to administer the law, especially by presiding over trials and rendering judgments; a justice.
Judge
A person who decides the fate of someone or something that has been called into question.
Judge
A person officiating at a sports event, a contest, or similar.
At a boxing match, the decision of the judges is final.
Judge
A person who evaluates something or forms an opinion.
She is a good judge of wine.
They say he is a poor judge of character considering all the unreliable friends he has made.
Judge
A shophet, a temporary leader appointed in times of crisis in ancient Israel.
Judge
(transitive) To sit in judgment on; to pass sentence on (a person or matter).
A higher power will judge you after you are dead.
Judge
(intransitive) To sit in judgment, to act as judge.
Justices in this country judge without appeal.
Judge
(transitive) To judicially rule or determine.
Judge
To sentence to punishment, to judicially condemn.
He was judged to die for his crimes.
Judge
To award judicially; to adjudge.
Judge
(transitive) To form an opinion on; to appraise.
I judge a man’s character by the cut of his suit.
Judge
To constitute a fitting appraisal or criterion of; to provide a basis for forming an opinion on.
Judge
(intransitive) To arbitrate; to pass opinion on something, especially to settle a dispute etc.
We cannot both be right: you must judge between us.
Judge
(transitive) To have as an opinion; to consider, suppose.
I judge it safe to leave the house once again.
Judge
(ambitransitive) To form an opinion; to infer.
I judge from the sky that it might rain later.
Judge
(ambitransitive) To criticize or label another person or thing.
Judge
(ambitransitive) To govern as biblical judge or shophet (over some jurisdiction).
Judge
A public officer who is invested with authority to hear and determine litigated causes, and to administer justice between parties in courts held for that purpose.
The parts of a judge in hearing are four: to direct the evidence; to moderate length, repetition, or impertinency of speech; to recapitulate, select, and collate the material points of that which hath been said; and to give the rule or sentence.
Judge
One who has skill, knowledge, or experience, sufficient to decide on the merits of a question, or on the quality or value of anything; one who discerns properties or relations with skill and readiness; a connoisseur; an expert; a critic.
A man who is no judge of law may be a good judge of poetry, or eloquence, or of the merits of a painting.
Judge
A person appointed to decide in a trial of skill, speed, etc., between two or more parties; an umpire; as, a judge in a horse race.
Judge
One of the supreme magistrates, with both civil and military powers, who governed Israel for more than four hundred years.
Judge
The title of the seventh book of the Old Testament; the Book of Judges.
Judge
To hear and determine, as in causes on trial; to decide as a judge; to give judgment; to pass sentence.
The Lord judge between thee and me.
Father, who art judgeOf all things made, and judgest only right!
Judge
To compare facts or ideas, and perceive their relations and attributes, and thus distinguish truth from falsehood; to determine; to discern; to distinguish; to form an opinion about.
Judge not according to the appearance.
She is wise if I can judge of her.
Judge
To hear and determine by authority, as a case before a court, or a controversy between two parties.
Judge
To examine and pass sentence on; to try; to doom.
God shall judge the righteous and the wicked.
To bring my whole cause 'fore his holiness,And to be judged by him.
Judge
To arrogate judicial authority over; to sit in judgment upon; to be censorious toward.
Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Judge
To determine upon or deliberation; to esteem; to think; to reckon.
If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord.
Judge
To exercise the functions of a magistrate over; to govern.
Make us a king to judge us.
Judge
A public official authorized to decide questions bought before a court of justice
Judge
An authority who is able to estimate worth or quality
Judge
Determine the result of (a competition)
Judge
Form an opinion of or pass judgment on;
I cannot judge some works of modern art
Judge
Judge tentatively or form an estimate of (quantities or time);
I estimate this chicken to weigh three pounds
Judge
Pronounce judgment on;
They labeled him unfit to work here
Judge
Put on trial or hear a case and sit as the judge at the trial of;
The football star was tried for the murder of his wife
The judge tried both father and son in separate trials
Common Curiosities
Do arbiters have the same authority as judges?
Arbiters derive their authority from the parties involved, whereas judges have legal authority granted by the state.
Can a judge act as an arbiter?
Yes, a judge may serve as an arbiter in specific cases, usually after retiring or outside formal court proceedings.
Can a judge's decision be appealed?
Yes, court decisions can be appealed, while arbitration awards have limited appeal rights.
Are arbiter decisions legally binding?
They can be, if the parties agree in advance or if required by law, but they can also be advisory.
Is arbitration cheaper than going to court?
Arbitration often costs less than a court trial due to fewer procedural requirements.
Are arbitration proceedings confidential?
Yes, arbitration is typically private, whereas court trials are public.
What qualifications do judges and arbiters need?
Judges need formal legal education and experience, while arbiters may require subject matter expertise and conflict resolution skills.
Is arbitration mandatory?
Arbitration is voluntary unless stipulated in a contract or required by law.
How is a judge appointed or elected?
Judges may be appointed by the government or elected by the public, depending on the jurisdiction.
Does a judge always use legal principles for decisions?
Yes, judges apply legal principles and precedents in their judgments.
How long does arbitration take compared to court trials?
Arbitration is usually faster than court trials because it involves fewer procedural steps.
Can arbitration replace a trial?
Yes, parties can agree to settle disputes through arbitration instead of court trials.
Do arbiters specialize in specific areas?
Yes, arbiters often have expertise in areas like commercial, labor, or construction disputes.
Can parties challenge an arbiter's selection?
Yes, parties can object if they believe an arbiter may have biases or conflicts of interest.
Can arbiters resolve criminal cases?
No, arbitration is generally used for civil disputes, not criminal matters.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Limit vs. Limited
Next Comparison
Business vs. IndustryAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
