Wiretapping of the Democratic Party's headquarters. E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy, who led the Watergate break-in team, were stationed in a Watergate Hotel room while the burglary was underway. A lookout was posted across the street at the Howard Johnson Hotel.
The judge, however, remains above the fray, providing an independent and impartial assessment of the facts and how the law applies to those facts. Many criminal cases - and almost all civil ones - are heard by a judge sitting without a jury. The judge is the trier of fact, deciding whether the evidence is credible and which witnesses are telling the truth.
Circuit Court Judge Responsibilities. Circuit courts are referred to as courts of general jurisdiction, meaning they have jurisdiction over a wide variety of matters. Many states have superior courts, which serve the same function as circuit courts. In most states, circuit courts are a step above district and municipal courts in the state court hierarchy. District court judges often preside over cases involving small claims and misdemeanor crimes, while circuit court judges typically hear cases involving more serious criminal and civil offenses. Typically, circuit court judges must practice law for a prescribed period of time before they can seek a seat on the bench.