Chief judge (Australia)
{{short description|Highest-ranking judge of a court in Australia}}
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A chief judge (also known as chief justice, presiding judge, president judge or administrative judge) is the highest-ranking or most senior member of a court or tribunal with more than one judge.{{Cite web |title=Chief judge |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/legal/chief%20judge |access-date=2022-02-21 |website=Merriam-Webster}} The chief judge commonly presides over trials and hearings.
In Australia the term Chief Judge can refer to the principal judicial officer of a state District Court,{{cite web|url=http://www.hcourt.gov.au/about|title=High Court of Australia|website=www.hcourt.gov.au}} as in New South Wales, or a state County Court,{{Cite web |url=https://www.countycourt.vic.gov.au/news-media/news/new-chief-judge-peter-kidd-sc-appointed |title=County Court, Victoria |access-date=2017-12-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171207192359/https://www.countycourt.vic.gov.au/news-media/news/new-chief-judge-peter-kidd-sc-appointed |archive-date=2017-12-07 |url-status=dead }} as in Victoria. The former is appointed by the state's Governor, while the latter may be appointed by the state's Attorney-General.