juiz de fora

A juiz de fora (pronounced [ˈʒwiʒ ðɨ ˈfɔɾɐ]; 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.