How to Manage Judges

Judges are records your agency keeps under **Settings** so you can assign them to events, cases, and warrants, filter by them, and merge their details into messages.

### Overview

The **Judges** tab under **Settings** holds a directory of judge records. Each record stores a name, a reference, contact details, a default location or its own address, a room, a virtual meeting link, and a description.

Once a judge exists, the name appears in the **Judge name** dropdown on the event screen, in the **Search Events** filter, in the **Assigned Judge** filter on a bulk action, in the **Assign Judge** control on the **Cases** screen, and in the **Assign to Judge** search on a warrant. Judge merge tags pull the record's details into your message templates.

Two things behave differently and are worth knowing before you start. An event stores the judge as plain text in its **Judge name** field, so the event holds a copy of the name rather than a link to the record. A warrant stores the judge record itself, so a warrant stays attached even if you rename the judge.

### Prerequisites

- Access to **Admin** > **Settings** > **Judges**, which needs the `view_any_location` permission
- The `create_judges` permission to add a judge, and `update_judges` to edit, archive, or restore one
- (Optional) A location, if you want to set a **Default Location** on the judge
- (Optional) A portal, if you want to set a **Default Portal** on the judge

### How-To Steps

#### Create a Judge

1. Click **Admin** in the top navigation bar, then select **Settings**.
2. Click the **Judges** tab.
3. Enter the judge's name in **Name** in the **Create Judge** card.
4. Select a **Type** from the dropdown. The options are supervision, guardian, law enforcement, employer, school, court, medical, and other.
5. Enter a **Phone** and an **Email** if you have them.
6. Click **Create**.

The new judge appears at the top of the table.

#### Complete a Judge Profile

1. Click the edit icon next to the judge in the table.
2. Fill in the fields you need in the **Edit Judge** card.
3. Click **Save**.

The **Edit Judge** card holds these fields:

| Field | Notes |
|-------|-------|
| **Name** | The name the rest of the platform matches on. |
| **Reference** | Your primary system's ID for this judge. Optional. |
| **Photo URL** | A link to an image. The photo shows at the top of the judge screen and on a warrant this judge is assigned to. |
| **Type** | The same list offered in the **Create Judge** card. |
| **Default Portal** | The portal that the `[JudgeLink]` merge tag builds its address from. |
| **Default Location** | A saved location. Choosing one hides the address fields below and shows the location card beside the form. |
| **Address**, **Address 2**, **City**, **State**, **Zip**, **County** | Shown only while **Default Location** is empty. |
| **Room** | A courtroom or office number. |
| **Phone**, **Email**, **Website** | Contact details. |
| **Virtual Link** | A virtual meeting link. |
| **Virtual Code** | Appears once **Virtual Link** has a value. |
| **Description** | Free text about the judge. |
| **URL** | The value added to the end of the `[JudgeLink]` address. |

Each field that has a merge tag shows the tag under the input. Click the tag to copy it to your clipboard.

#### Assign a Judge to an Event

1. Click **Events** in the top navigation bar.
2. Click the edit icon on an event to open it.
3. Select the judge from **Judge name** in the **Edit Event** card.
4. Click **Save**.

**Judge name** is the default label. Your agency can rename it under **Admin** > **Settings** in the **Custom Fields** section, in which case your own label shows here instead.

To record a name that is not in the list, select **Add a new Judge**, type the name into the **New Judge Name** field that appears, then click **Save**. This saves the name on that event only. It does not create a record under **Admin** > **Settings** > **Judges**.

#### Assign a Judge to a Warrant

1. Go to **Cases** > **Warrants** and open a warrant.
2. Enter part of the judge's name in **Search Judges** in the **Assign to Judge** card.
3. Click **Search**.
4. Click the judge in the results list.

The card changes to **Assigned Judge** and shows the judge's photo, name, email, and phone. Click **View Profile** to open the judge record, or **Unassign** to remove the judge.

#### Auto-assign Judges to Cases

1. Click **Cases** in the top navigation bar.
2. Select a judge, or **Random**, from **Assign Judge** in the **Assign Cases** card.
3. Enter a number in **Max per Judge** if you selected **Random**.
4. Click **Assign**.

#### Filter Events by Judge

1. Click **Events** in the top navigation bar.
2. Select a judge from **Judge name** in the **Search Events** card.

The results refresh as soon as you change the selection.

#### Filter a Bulk Action by Judge

1. Click **Bulk Actions** in the top navigation bar.
2. Open a bulk action from the table.
3. Select a judge from **Assigned Judge** in the **Search Clients** card.

#### Import Judge Names from a Flat File

Map your file's judge column to the **Assigned Judge** field in an upload template. The value lands in the event's **Judge name** field. Rows that arrive with no judge fall back to the **Primary Judge Name** setting.

#### Set a Default Judge Name for New Events

1. Go to **Admin** > **Settings**.
2. Enter a name in **Primary Judge Name** in the **Events** section.
3. Click **Save**.

Any event created without a judge is saved with this name. The **Available Judge Names** field beside it takes a comma separated list of names.

#### Show a Judge on a Location

1. Go to **Admin** > **Settings** > **Locations** and open a location.
2. Select a judge from **Default Judge**.
3. Click **Save**.

The name appears on that location's public portal page. If **Default Judge** is empty, the portal page lists the names from **Available Judge Names** instead.

#### Merge Judge Details into Messages

| Merge Tag | Inserts |
|-----------|---------|
| `[JudgeName]` | The event's **Judge name** value. |
| `[JudgeReference]` | The judge's **Reference**. |
| `[JudgeType]` | The judge's **Type**. |
| `[JudgeAddress]` | The judge's **Address** and **Address 2**. |
| `[JudgeFullAddress]` | The judge's **Address**, **Address 2**, **City**, **State**, and **Zip**. |
| `[JudgeRoom]` | The judge's **Room**. |
| `[JudgePhone]` | The judge's **Phone**. |
| `[JudgeEmail]` | The judge's **Email**. |
| `[JudgeWebsite]` | The judge's **Website**. |
| `[JudgeVirtualLink]` | The judge's **Virtual Link**. |
| `[JudgeVirtualCode]` | The judge's **Virtual Code**. |
| `[JudgeDescription]` | The judge's **Description**. |
| `[JudgeLink]` | A portal address built from the judge's **Default Portal** and **URL**. |

`[JudgeName]` prints whatever text the event holds. Every other tag looks the judge up by matching the event's **Judge name** to a judge record's **Name** exactly, and it skips archived and trashed judges.

### What to Expect

Saving is immediate and a confirmation message appears. The judge screen also shows an **Events** card listing the ten most recent events whose **Judge name** matches this judge's **Name**, with a link to the full list.

Because an event keeps the judge's name as text, renaming a judge does not update events that were already saved. Those events keep the old name and drop out of the judge's **Events** card.

### Best Practices

- Enter the name exactly as you want it printed, since `[JudgeName]` sends the stored text through to your messages unchanged.
- Leave the title out of the **Name** field and enter "Amy Stephens" rather than "Judge Amy Stephens". Portal event pages print your agency's judge label themselves and remove the word "Judge" from the stored value.
- Keep spelling consistent across events, because the **Search Events** filter, the bulk action filter, and every judge merge tag match on the exact name.
- Set a **Default Location** rather than retyping an address on each judge. The address fields disappear once a location is selected, and the location card shows the address beside the form.
- Set **Primary Judge Name** under **Admin** > **Settings** so events created without a judge, including uploaded ones, still get a name.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Does the Add a new Judge option on the event screen create a judge record?**

A: No. It saves the name to that event's **Judge name** field only. Create the record under **Admin** > **Settings** > **Judges** if you want it in the directory and available to the other judge merge tags.

**Q: Can I assign more than one judge to an event?**

A: No. An event holds a single **Judge name** value.

**Q: How do I remove a judge?**

A: There is no delete button. Open the judge and use **Tools** > **Archive** or **Tools** > **Trash**. Find them again with the **Archived** or **Trashed** checkbox in the **Search Judges** card, then use **Tools** > **Restore**.

**Q: What permissions do I need?**

A: Viewing the **Judges** tab needs `view_any_location`. Adding a judge needs `create_judges`, editing, archiving, and restoring need `update_judges`, and trashing needs `trash_judges`.

**Q: Why did the address fields disappear from the judge form?**

A: They only show while **Default Location** is empty. Clear **Default Location** if you want to store an address on the judge record itself.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** A judge merge tag other than `[JudgeName]` prints nothing.

**Symptoms:** The message sends with the judge's phone, room, or address missing.

**Solution:**

1. Confirm the event has a value in **Judge name**.
2. Confirm that value matches a judge record's **Name** exactly, since the lookup is an exact match.
3. Confirm the judge is not archived or trashed, because archived and trashed records are skipped.
4. Confirm the field you are merging has a value on the judge record.

**Issue:** A judge is missing from the **Judge name** dropdown on the event screen.

**Symptoms:** You cannot find the judge when editing an event, even though the record exists under **Settings**.

**Solution:**

1. Check that the judge is not archived or trashed under **Admin** > **Settings** > **Judges**.
2. Remember that the event screen loads only the first twenty judges in alphabetical order. If your directory is larger, select **Add a new Judge** and type the name instead.

**Issue:** The judge's **Events** card says no events found.

**Symptoms:** The judge screen shows no events even though matching events exist.

**Solution:**

1. Compare the event's **Judge name** with the judge's **Name**, since the card matches on the exact name.
2. Correct the spelling on the event from **Events**, or correct the **Name** on the judge record.

> **Important:** If you continue to experience issues after following these troubleshooting steps, sign in to eCourtDate and create a ticket by clicking the ticket button in the bottom right corner of the screen.

### Related Articles

- [How to Manage Events](/how-to-manage-events)
- [How to Create Locations](/how-to-create-locations)
- [How to Use Merge Tags](/how-to-use-merge-tags)
- [How to create upload templates](/how-to-create-upload-templates)
- [How to manage warrants](/how-to-manage-warrants)
- [Roles and Permissions](/roles-and-permissions)