By Anna Von Reitz
All those exercising the judicial function can be called by the generic
name "judge"-- like calling it "cereal" instead of calling it "Rice Krispies".
Land judges are more properly called "Justice" as in "Justice of the Peace"
but that is a nicety and a greater degree of specificity. It shows that you
know the difference and is certainly appropriate, but, as a practical matter
Land Jurisdiction Justices have been rare as hen's teeth for a long time and it
is more conducive to communication to just use the generic title.
Read that: I don't want to have to explain such details for an hour before
I get down to business every day that I live, so I use the generic word
"Judge". Doesn't mean I am not functioning as a Justice. Doesn't mean I am
ignorant.
Land Justices (since you all know the difference now) are tied to specific
geographic boundaries. A County Justice from Macon County, Georgia, can't just
pack up his robes and go sit on the bench in Jackson County, Wisconsin. Same
thing at the State level. An Alaska State Justice has no authority in Utah.