Judicial discretion

Judicial discretion is when a judge has the power to make a decision based on their own judgment and choosing. It's similar to how you might choose which toy to play with or what book to read.

When a judge has to decide a case, they have to look at all the facts that are presented to them and figure out what should be done. Sometimes, there are rules or laws that tell the judge what to do in certain situations. Other times, the judge has to use their own judgment to make a decision. This is where judicial discretion comes in.

For example, let's say that two people got into a fight and the police arrested them both. The judge has to decide what should happen to them. Maybe there is a law that says if you get into a fight, you have to go to jail. But maybe the judge knows that the two people were just having a bad day and that they don't usually get into fights. In that case, the judge might use their own judgment to give them a lesser punishment, like community service.

Judicial discretion can be important because it helps the judge make fair and just decisions based on each individual case. However, it also means that sometimes different judges might make different decisions for similar situations, which can be confusing. But overall, it's an important part of our justice system.