Who is the review judge?

The review judge is a trained expert in Church law and is appointed by the Archbishop of Detroit. The review judge has to make the final decision of whether the bond of marriage was properly established. Judgments are ordinarily made by a single judge but from time to time three review judges may be asked to consult with one another in making a decision. In cases when common life lasted for many years, it is not unusual for a group of review judges to make the final decision.

The review judge remains impartial throughout the trial. His purpose is to oversee that rights have been respected and that a morally certain decision is made on the facts that have been gathered. He makes the final decision on the case.