Juiz de fora (office)

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A juiz de fora (lit. 'judge from the outside' or 'outsider judge') was a magistrate appointed by the King of Portugal to serve in the municipalities where the intervention of an impartial and unbiased judge - usually from outside of the town - was necessary. Often, the judges also assumed a political role, being appointed to preside over municipal councils (câmaras) in order to provide some central control.