The People

Presiding & assistant judges

The presiding judge is the person who presides over the hearing, i.e. ensures the correction of procedure and debates.
Depending on the jurisdiction, the judge can sit alone at the bench or be assisted by two assistant judges. They are also judges, but they do not preside the hearing. They ask questions, and discuss with the presiding judge. This is the notion of collégialité (the principle whereby decisions are made by a panel of judges)..
Together, these three judges of the bench are referred to as ‘the court’ during the trial.