be judge and jury en · VERB
Etymology
In most jurisdictions that practice jury trials, the defendant's guilt is determined by jury, while his or her sentence is determined by the trial judge. An authority that can exercise the powers of a jury and judge therefore lacks a balance of power.
Meanings
-
As an authority, to have the power to make a decision affecting someone or an organisation by oneself.
The fear from operators that sit outside GBR [Great British Railways], chiefly freight and open access operators, is that GBR will be judge and jury in any future system and can simply decide to do what it wants.
2026 March 18, Philip Haigh, “Early thoughts on track access and charges”, in RAIL, number 1057, page 22:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| is judge and jury | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| was judge and jury | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| being judge and jury | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| been judge and jury | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |