section_path: Procedure/Presiding justice and justice in charge
section_name: Presiding justice and justice in charge
paragraph_text: Presiding justice and justice in charge
  
  In constitutional court proceedings, a presiding justice (재판장) and a justice in charge (주심) are designated for each case. The presiding justice serves as the official representative of the panel, while the justice in charge oversees hearings and drafts the judgment for the specific case. The role of the justice in charge is analogous to that of a judge-rapporteur in the European Court of Justice. To mitigate concerns about partiality, the justice in charge is typically selected by a computer program. In contrast, the presiding justice is determined by seniority.
  
  It is important to note that in South Korean courts, the term "presiding judge" often refers to the administrative head of the panel, rather than the individual presiding over specific cases. For example, in the impeachment proceedings of former president Park Geun-hye, Justice Kang Il-won served as the justice in charge (주심재판관) and conducted much of the proceedings. However, Justice Lee Jung-mi, the acting president of the Constitutional Court at the time, was the official presiding justice of the full bench.