Section 19

The word “judge” denotes not only every person who is officially designated as a judge, but also every person who is empowered by law to give, in any legal proceeding, civil or criminal, a definitive judgment, or a judgment which, if not appealed against, would be definitive, or a judgment which, if confirmed by some other authority, would be definitive, or who is one of a body of persons, which body of persons is empowered by law to give such a judgment.Illustrations (a) A Magistrate exercising jurisdiction in respect of a charge on which he has power to sentence to fine or imprisonment, with or without appeal, is a judge. (b) Officers holding an inquiry as to the loss of a ship under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 are judges. (c) A Magistrate exercising jurisdiction in respect of a charge on which he has power only to commit for trial to another court, is not a judge.