chief justice

American  

[cheef juhs-tis] / ˈtʃif ˈdʒʌs tɪs /

noun

1. Law. the presiding judge of a court having several members.

2. Official Title Chief Justice of the United States.  (initial capital letters) the presiding judge of the U.S. Supreme Court.

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chief justice British  

noun

1. (in any of several Commonwealth countries) the judge presiding over a supreme court

2. (in the US) the presiding judge of a court composed of a number of members

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Other Word Forms

• chief justiceship
  noun

Etymology

Origin of chief justice

First recorded in 1685–95

Example Sentences

Chief justice Hossein Fazeli Herikandi said claims in opposition media about her death were "lies".

From Reuters • Oct. 7, 2022

Chief justice Asif Saeed Khosa said the special courts would allow victims to speak out without fear of retaliation in the conservative Muslim country, where domestic violence is often seen as taboo.

From The Guardian • Jun. 19, 2019

Chief justice John Roberts was joined by the court’s four liberal-leaning justices in writing for the majority.

From The Guardian • Jun. 22, 2018

Chief justice John Roberts wrote: “The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.”

From The Guardian • Sep. 7, 2015

The Chief justice was beginning to charge the jury, and would undoubtedly have directed them to acquit the defendants; but Finch, too anxious to be perfectly discreet, interfered, and begged to be heard.

From The History of England, from the Accession of James II — Volume 2 by Macaulay, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron