General judge

General judge (heneralnyi suddia). Title of the military judge of the Cossacks and, from 1648 to 1782, of a member of the General Officer Staff of the Hetman state. From 1654 there were usually two general judges, who collectively headed the General Court, the appellate court of the Hetman state. Most general judges had no legal experience. In addition to their judicial responsibility they also performed executive, advisory, and military functions and served as acting hetman)s (see Acting hetman) and diplomatic envoys. Hetman Ivan Samoilovych was a general judge in 1669–72.