Judge (2000 AD) - Definition and Overview

Not to be confused with the real-world office of judge, please.

Judge is a title held by several significant characters in the Judge Dredd series, which appears in the British comic book 2000 AD. In the fictional future history of the series, the role of "Judge" combines those of judge and police officer, thus avoiding long legal wrangles by allowing for criminals to be tried and sentenced on the spot.

The Judges themselves are not above the law -- a violation that would earn a citizen a few months in an Iso-Cube would get a Judge a twenty-year sentence, to be served at hard labor on Saturn's moon, Titan, after modification to enable the convict to survive outside there without needing an expensive space suit.

In the Judge Dredd future history, the Judge system originated in the United States (see History of Mega-City One), but spread to other countries around the world.

Notable Judges appearing in the series include Judge Anderson, Judge Hershey, and the eponymous Judge Dredd.

Example Usage of Judge