Judges and Magistrates
Official O*NET title: Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates (23-1023.00)
Also called: circuit court judge, circuit judge, county judge, court of appeals judge, district court judge
Do you do this at work?
Answer each card — it takes about a minute.
Do you do this at work?
Research legal issues and write opinions on the issues
Swipe right for yes, left for not me. On a keyboard: → yes, ← not me, Z undo. +2 XP per answer.
How AI is changing judges and magistrates work
4 of 15 measurable main tasks for this job show up in real AI-use data, so we rate it Amber (some AI use) — 27%.
This shows where people already use AI, not whether the job will disappear. How we measure this.
Tasks in this job and recorded AI use
- Research legal issues and write opinions on the issues (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Write decisions on cases (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Read documents on pleadings and motions to find out facts and issues (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Advise attorneys, juries, litigants, and court staff regarding conduct, issues, and proceedings (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Sentence defendants in criminal cases, on conviction by jury, according to applicable government statutes (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Monitor proceedings to make sure that all applicable rules and procedures are followed (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Instruct juries on applicable laws, direct juries to deduce the facts from the evidence presented, and hear their verdicts (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Rule on admissibility of evidence and methods of conducting testimony (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Preside over hearings and listen to allegations made by plaintiffs to determine whether the evidence supports the charges (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Award compensation for damages to litigants in civil cases in relation to findings by juries or by the court (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Interpret and enforce rules of procedure or establish new rules in situations where there are no procedures already established by law (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Issue arrest warrants (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Settle disputes between opposing attorneys (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Impose restrictions upon parties in civil cases until trials can be held (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Supervise other judges, court officers, and the court's administrative staff (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Provide information regarding the judicial system or other legal issues through the media and public speeches — some recorded AI use
- Rule on custody and access disputes, and enforce court orders regarding custody and support of children — no recorded AI use
- Conduct preliminary hearings to decide issues — no recorded AI use
- Grant divorces and divide assets between spouses — no recorded AI use
- Participate in judicial tribunals to help resolve disputes — no recorded AI use
- Perform wedding ceremonies — no recorded AI use
Tasks: O*NET 31.0. AI use: Anthropic Economic Index (exact or close text match).
Your first steps (guidance)
- Week 1: Open a free AI assistant and say hello. Follow our “Getting started with AI” guide. Ask it one simple question about your work.
- Week 2: Use AI on one task you do often. Try the prompt for: “Research legal issues and write opinions on the issues”. Try the prompt for: “Write decisions on cases”.
Tick your own tasks above to get a plan based on what you really do. The first 2 weeks are free; Premium (coming soon) adds weeks 3–12. New to AI? Read our beginner’s guide.
Questions about AI and judges and magistrates
Will AI replace judges and magistrates?
Our data can’t predict job losses, and we don’t try to. What it does show: 4 of the 15 main tasks for this job match tasks people already use AI for (Anthropic Economic Index), giving a Amber rating (some AI use). Using AI on a task is not the same as AI doing the whole job, and 16 of the 21 listed tasks show no recorded AI use yet.
Which judge tasks is AI used for most?
In the data, the most AI use among this job’s tasks is for: research legal issues and write opinions on the issues; write decisions on cases; provide information regarding the judicial system or other legal issues through the media and public speeches.
Which judge tasks show little or no AI use?
For example: sentence defendants in criminal cases, on conviction by jury, according to applicable government statutes; monitor proceedings to make sure that all applicable rules and procedures are followed; instruct juries on applicable laws, direct juries to deduce the facts from the evidence presented, and hear their verdicts. These are good places to keep building your own skills.
How does this job compare to others?
In Microsoft Research’s “Working with AI” study, this job’s AI applicability score is equal to or higher than 23% of the occupations they scored. That measures overlap with AI chat use, not risk of job loss.
How can a judge start learning AI?
Start small: open a free AI assistant, try it on one task you do often, and always check facts and numbers yourself. The plan on this page is guidance, not professional advice.
See how this job ranks
Judges and Magistrates ranks #296 of 572 jobs for the share of main tasks with AI use (#1 = most), and #5 of 6 in Legal.