Chief Judge of Mega-City One is the title of several supporting characters in the Judge Dredd

Judge Dredd

Judge Joseph Dredd is a comics character whose strip in the British science fiction anthology 2000 AD is the magazine's longest running . Dredd is an American law enforcement officer in a violent city of the future where uniformed Judges combine the powers of police, judge, jury and executioner...

comic strip published in 2000 AD

2000 AD (comic)

2000 AD is a weekly British science fiction-oriented comic. As a comics anthology it serialises a number of separate stories each issue and was first published by IPC Magazines in 1977, the first issue dated 26 February. IPC then shifted the title to its Fleetway comics subsidiary which was sold...

. The chief judge is dictator and head of state of Mega-City One

Mega-City One

Mega-City One is a huge fictional city-state covering much of what is now the Eastern United States in the Judge Dredd comic book series. The exact boundaries of the city depend on which artist has drawn the story...

, a fictional future city of around 400 million people in 22nd-century America. The present chief judge (as of 2011) is Dan Francisco

Judge Francisco

Chief Judge Dan Francisco is a fictional supporting character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He is chief judge of Mega-City One.-Fictional character biography:...

.

Chief Judge is the highest rank in the Mega-City One Justice Department

Judge (2000 AD)

Judge is a title held by several significant characters in the Judge Dredd series, which appears in the British comics 2000 AD and Judge Dredd Megazine...

. The founder of the Judge System

Judge (2000 AD)

Judge is a title held by several significant characters in the Judge Dredd series, which appears in the British comics 2000 AD and Judge Dredd Megazine...

, Chief Judge Fargo

Chief Judge Fargo

Chief Judge Eustace Fargo is an important fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He is Judge Dredd's clone father....

, originally conceived this office as no more than the head of an elite police force whose members had powers to summarily convict and sentence criminals in 21st-century America, but following a coup d'état in 2070 the US Justice Department took control of the United States and formed a new government under the autocratic rule of the chief judge. Since then the chief judges have wielded immense power, although after the coup the USA split into three independent city-states, including Mega-City One (although the three cities had already enjoyed considerable autonomy since 2052). Other mega-cities around the world adopted similar systems of government. The remainder of this article is concerned solely with Judge Dredd's city.

Office and powers

Until 2117 the chief judge was the ex officio chairman of the Council of Five

Council of Five

The Council of Five is a fictional legislature and court in the Judge Dredd comic strip appearing in 2000 AD. It first appeared in 2000 AD prog 86 ....

, which in 2070 became the highest legislative body. He presided over the Council's meetings and could veto any decision with which he disagreed. He could also appoint and dismiss councillors at will. The Council usually included a deputy chief judge, who would automatically succeed to the highest office in the event of the death of the chief judge. (This occurred when Chief Judge Goodman

Judge Goodman

Chief Judge Clarence Goodman is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd stories published in the British comic 2000 AD. He appeared in the first episode of Judge Dredd in March 1977 , and was the first regularly recurring supporting character.-Biography:Goodman was joint deputy chief judge at the...

 died and was succeeded by his deputy, Judge Cal

Judge Cal

Chief Judge Cal is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He was loosely based on the real life Roman emperor Caligula, who is widely considered to have been insane...

.) If there was no deputy then the remaining members of the Council elected a new chief judge from among themselves. (Judge Silver

Judge Silver

Chief Judge Thomas Silver was chief judge of the fictional city of Mega-City One in the Judge Dredd comic strip.-Fictional character biography:...

 was chosen in this way.)

Unfortunately, in Mega-City One's history there have been occasions when chief judges have abused their considerable power. When Chief Judge McGruder

Judge McGruder

Chief Judge Hilda Margaret McGruder is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd stories published in the British comic 2000 AD. She was the first female Chief Judge of Mega-City One, and the first Judge of Mega-City One to become Chief Judge twice...

 suspended the Council of Five in 2112 and ruled alone there was no mechanism for legally removing her from office when her mental health deteriorated and her decisions became increasingly erratic. She eventually resigned of her own accord in 2116, but by this time the undesirability of vesting too much authority in one individual had become apparent even to the hardline right-wing Judges

Judge (2000 AD)

Judge is a title held by several significant characters in the Judge Dredd series, which appears in the British comics 2000 AD and Judge Dredd Megazine...

 of Mega-City One.

Therefore in 2117 some significant changes were made to the system by her new successor, Chief Judge Volt

Judge Volt

Chief Judge Hadrian Volt is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He was chief judge of Mega-City One between 2116 and 2121 .-Fictional character biography:...

. Firstly, he reformed the Council of Five by removing the chief judge from the council (although it is not clear how their respective powers are divided between the chief judge and the Council, and the chief judge may still attend Council meetings). Since then the deputy chief judge has chaired most meetings of the Council of Five (the first to do so was DCJ Herriman.) The appointment of a deputy chief judge must have the consent of the Council. This has given some measure of independence to the Council in its deliberations, and provided a constitutional method by which an incapable chief judge can be lawfully removed from office.

Secondly, the law was changed to make chief judges elected by the 400 Senior Judges of the city, rather than by the Council alone. This innovation had first been introduced ad hoc by McGruder herself in 2116, since there was neither a council nor a deputy chief judge during her term of office. It was unpopular with many judges at the time, but Volt made it a permanent rule. This second reform was deemed necessary because McGruder's own succession to the job in 2112 – without any vote being undertaken – had later been challenged as unconstitutional by her predecessor in that office, Judge Silver, resulting in a constitutional crisis. By making this second reform Volt ensured that future chief judges should not have their authority doubted, while at the same time his first reform made the chief judge accountable in the exercise of that authority.

Thirdly, the deputy chief judge is no longer guaranteed the automatic right of succession to the top job. Under the new system the deputy only becomes acting chief judge in the event of a vacancy in the highest office, and only becomes chief judge in his own right if subsequently elected. This procedure was first invoked when Volt himself died and Deputy Chief Judge Hershey

Judge Hershey

Judge Barbara Hershey is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd series that appears in British comic 2000 AD. For nearly two decades she regularly appeared as Dredd's sidekick, before being promoted to become his superior: she was chief judge for nine years...

 became acting chief judge in 2121, winning the second election to chief judge in 2122. Even this rule only applies to a deputy chief judge who was appointed by an elected chief judge. A deputy chief judge appointed by an unelected chief judge does not become acting chief judge; instead there must be an election.

Removal from office

Until 2117 the only way in which a chief judge could lawfully be removed from office against his will was by a vote of the Council of Five. This never happened, and it became impossible when Chief Judge McGruder suspended the Council.

Since the constitutional reforms, it has also been possible for a candidate to run against a serving chief judge if one third of the city's senior judges sign a petition calling for a recall election

Recall election

A recall election is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before his or her term has ended...

. By 2131 the number of senior judges had trebled to around 1,200. In that year, senior judges began a successful campaign to vote reformer Chief Judge Hershey out of office, and replace her with hardliner Judge Francisco

Judge Francisco

Chief Judge Dan Francisco is a fictional supporting character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He is chief judge of Mega-City One.-Fictional character biography:...

.

Francisco himself was removed from office in 2132 by his corrupt deputy, Judge Sinfield

Judge Sinfield

Judge Martin Sinfield is a fictional supporting character and antagonist in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD, most notably in the story "Tour of Duty"...

, who brainwashed him with an illegal mind-altering drug to make him resign so he could take his place. However Sinfield discovered that even the chief judge is not above the law, when his crime was discovered and he was arrested. The Council of Five reinstated Francisco.

Other chief judges have ended their term of office either by death or by resignation. Fargo, Solomon and McGruder resigned. Goodman, Cal, Griffin and Silver were assassinated. Volt committed suicide (but the public were informed that he had been killed in the line of duty).

Chief judges

• In 2027 Eustace Fargo
  Chief Judge Fargo
  Chief Judge Eustace Fargo is an important fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He is Judge Dredd's clone father....
  
  was appointed Special Prosecutor for Street Crime by President Thomas Gurney, during a massive upsurge in violent crime. With Gurney’s backing, Fargo campaigned for the necessary constitutional amendments to allow the dispensing of instant justice in the street, and at the same time created academies to train the elite force of street judges which would exercise these draconian powers. In April 2031 Fargo, now Chief Judge of the United States, personally led his men into action, and over the next twenty years oversaw the growth of his new force. He insisted on the strictest standards of behaviour from his judges, including a rule of celibacy. When he himself broke this rule in 2051, he resigned and then shot himself
  Origins (Judge Dredd story)
  Origins is one of the longest Judge Dredd storylines to run in the pages of British comic 2000 AD. Making extensive use of flashbacks, it tells the story of how the Judges of Mega-City One rose to power. It was written by John Wagner and illustrated by Carlos Ezquerra, who between them created...
  
  . This was covered up and a more heroic death in the line of duty was fabricated.

• Fargo’s deputy, Hollins Solomon
  Judge Solomon
  Chief Judge Hollins Solomon is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd stories in the comic 2000 AD. His first appearance in the comic was in a flashback in #68, in the 1978 story The Cursed Earth. However his main appearance is in the story Origins , as a recurring character in a series of...
  
  (2051–2057), was appointed to succeed him by President Foreman Pierce. A year later, when America’s three mega-cities were granted autonomy in domestic policy matters, Solomon’s role was reduced to chief judge of Mega-City One, and the other two cities chose their own chief judges. After six years of fighting political battles with Congress, by which time the office of chief judge had become strictly a desk job, Solomon tired of politicking and retired, returning to his original role of law enforcement on the streets.

• Clarence Goodman
  Judge Goodman
  Chief Judge Clarence Goodman is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd stories published in the British comic 2000 AD. He appeared in the first episode of Judge Dredd in March 1977 , and was the first regularly recurring supporting character.-Biography:Goodman was joint deputy chief judge at the...
  
  (2057–2100) became the city’s longest-serving chief judge, serving for around 43 years. During his term Goodman built Justice Department up into a force to rival the military. In 2064 he authorised Morton Judd
  Morton Judd
  Morton Judd is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip and appears in progs 559-563 of the British comic 2000 AD, in the story "Oz"....
  
  ’s cloning
  Cloning
  Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
  
   project to create new judges from the best available genetic material (the first batch included Judge Dredd
  Judge Dredd
  Judge Joseph Dredd is a comics character whose strip in the British science fiction anthology 2000 AD is the magazine's longest running . Dredd is an American law enforcement officer in a violent city of the future where uniformed Judges combine the powers of police, judge, jury and executioner...
  
   in 2066). In June 2070, when President Booth
  President Robert L. Booth
  Robert Linus Booth is a fictional character from the British comic strip Judge Dredd in 2000 AD. He was the last President of the United States and the man who initiated the Atomic Wars.-Fictional character biography:...
  
   started the global Atomic Wars
  Atomic Wars
  The Atomic Wars or Great Atom War is a fictional event in the Judge Dredd universe.In 2070, the possibly psychotic President Robert L. Booth started World War III by starting a nuclear war which dragged in all the major superpowers....
  
  , Goodman overthrew the constitutional government of the USA and seized power for himself, provoking a civil war which lasted into 2071. The United States broke up into three independent city-states. Thirty years later, Goodman was assassinated by renegade judges in a coup d'état orchestrated by his own deputy, Cal.

• Judge Cal
  Judge Cal
  Chief Judge Cal is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He was loosely based on the real life Roman emperor Caligula, who is widely considered to have been insane...
  
  (2100–2101) became chief judge by blackmailing and recruiting corrupt judges, and then murdering his opponents. He became completely insane and began a reign of terror, and eventually sentenced the entire population to death. After surviving a revolution led by Judge Dredd and various assassination attempts, he was killed in 2101 after three and a half months in office. Dredd was nominated to replace him as chief judge, but declined, nominating his former tutor Judge Griffin instead.

• Judge Griffin
  Judge Griffin
  Chief Judge Griffin is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He was chief judge of Mega-City One between 2101 and 2104.-Fictional character biography :...
  
  (2101–2104) was elected by acclamation
  Acclamation
  An acclamation, in its most common sense, is a form of election that does not use a ballot. "Acclamation" or "acclamatio" can also signify a kind of ritual greeting and expression of approval in certain social contexts in ancient Rome.-Voting:...
  
  , and ruled until he was captured by the enemy during the Apocalypse War
  Apocalypse War
  The Apocalypse War is a storyline from the comic strip Judge Dredd, first published in British comic 2000 AD in 1982. A sequel to the story "Block Mania", it was written by John Wagner and Alan Grant and illustrated by Carlos Ezquerra...
  
  . Since rescue was impossible, Dredd shot him instead.

• Hilda Margaret McGruder
  Judge McGruder
  Chief Judge Hilda Margaret McGruder is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd stories published in the British comic 2000 AD. She was the first female Chief Judge of Mega-City One, and the first Judge of Mega-City One to become Chief Judge twice...
  
  (2104–2108) proved to be an outstanding leader, but after four years she resigned – despite the entreaties of her colleagues – when she questioned her own judgement following her mishandling of a crisis
  Shojun the Warlord
  Shojun, Warlord of Ji was a fictional villain in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD in 1986. He had powerful psionic abilities and attempted to take over the world....
  
  .

• Thomas Silver
  Judge Silver
  Chief Judge Thomas Silver was chief judge of the fictional city of Mega-City One in the Judge Dredd comic strip.-Fictional character biography:...
  
  (2108–2112; 2113) was unanimously chosen by the Council of Five. He brutally suppressed the peaceful campaign movement for a return to democratic government
  Democracy (Judge Dredd storyline)
  Democracy in the fictional future city of Mega-City One has been a significant recurring theme in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. In particular, a number of stories published since 1986 have addressed the issue of the Judges' dictatorial system of government, and efforts by the citizens to...
  
  . When Dredd resigned (partly due to Silver’s questionable methods of quashing dissent), Silver covered it up and replaced him with an imposter. At the beginning of the city’s occupation by the Dark Judges
  Necropolis (Judge Dredd story)
  Necropolis is a 26-part Judge Dredd epic by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra, published in 1990 in 2000 AD progs 674–699. The story was the subject of extensive foreshadowing in the comic, beginning with The Dead Man , followed by "Tale of the Dead Man" , and finally three stories collectively...
  
  , Silver was killed by Judge Death
  Judge Death
  Judge Death is a fictional character of the Judge Dredd universe recounted in the UK comic 2000 AD. He is the leader of the Dark Judges, a sinister group of undead law enforcers from the alternate dimension of Deadworld, where all life has been declared a crime since only the living commit crimes...
  
   but reanimated as a zombie
  Zombie
  Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
  
  . In 2113, a year after McGruder returned to office, Silver challenged her for his job back, citing her own resignation as a disqualification. Dredd (having returned also) ruled in Silver's favour but then convicted him for gross dereliction of duty involving his replacement by the imposter as well as deserting his command in time of war. Dredd then killed Silver once and for all.

• McGruder’s second term (2112–2116) was not as successful as her first had been, due to mental health problems which she had acquired during the interval. She suspended the Council of Five (as noted above). Among several misguided policies was a controversial scheme to use robot judges
  Mechanismo
  Mechanismo is the title of a Judge Dredd story published in the British comic Judge Dredd Megazine in 1992. It was the first story in a series of stories published over the next two years in both the Megazine and 2000 AD, most notably the epic "Wilderlands." The stories concern the Mechanismo...
  
   to alleviate a serious shortage of human judges. When the robots repeatedly malfunctioned, causing several deaths and attempting to kill even her, she was eventually persuaded to resign again. An Interim Council of three judges ruled briefly until a new chief judge was elected.

• Hadrian Volt
  Judge Volt
  Chief Judge Hadrian Volt is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He was chief judge of Mega-City One between 2116 and 2121 .-Fictional character biography:...
  
  (2116–2121) restored the Council and instituted sweeping reforms to the office of chief judge (described above), and also restored the elected mayor and elected council
  Mayor of Mega-City One
  Mayor of Mega-City One is a fictional office in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. The most significant mayor to appear in the comic was serial killer PJ Maybe, in disguise as Byron Ambrose....
  
   of Mega-City One. Blaming himself for failing to prevent the Robot War of 2121
  The Doomsday Scenario
  The Doomsday Scenario is the collective name of a series of Judge Dredd comic stories published in 2000 AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine in 1999...
  
  , he shot himself. As with Fargo’s death, this was concealed from the public and more creditable circumstances were invented. He was succeeded by his deputy, Judge Hershey
  Judge Hershey
  Judge Barbara Hershey is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd series that appears in British comic 2000 AD. For nearly two decades she regularly appeared as Dredd's sidekick, before being promoted to become his superior: she was chief judge for nine years...
  
  , who was elected in her own right in 2122.

• Barbara Hershey
  Judge Hershey
  Judge Barbara Hershey is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd series that appears in British comic 2000 AD. For nearly two decades she regularly appeared as Dredd's sidekick, before being promoted to become his superior: she was chief judge for nine years...
  
  (2122–2131) was Mega-City One's third longest serving chief judge, after Goodman and Fargo. She ruled over a relatively stable and prosperous period for the Mega-City, her greatest test perhaps being the terrorist atrocities committed by the pro-democracy movement Total War. Ruling with a steady hand, she brought into force many minor changes, such as giving Wally Squad
  Wally Squad
  The Wally Squad is a fictional undercover police force in the Judge Dredd stories of 2000 AD. Wally Squad agents were undercover judges noted for their eccentricity and borderline lunacy; these characteristic behaviours were an inevitable consequence of working undercover in a world of complete...
  
  , Justice Department's undercover department, a voice on the Council of Five for the first time. While generally open, honest and perhaps the most left-wing chief judge to date, she proved to be quite prepared to sanction "black ops" missions when it suited the city, and was heavily involved in Mega-City One's forceful overthrow of Ciudad Barranquilla
  Ciudad Barranquilla
  Ciudad Barranquilla, also known as Banana City, is a huge fictional city covering much of Central America in the Judge Dredd comic book series. Its name comes from the real city of Barranquilla in Colombia, although it is generally placed around the Buenos Aires city in Argentina...
  
  's corrupt government. Her most notable legacy, and her undoing, was agreeing to Dredd's request to repeal the Mutant Segregation Act
  Mutants (Judge Dredd)
  Mutants are a recurring theme in the Judge Dredd science-fiction stories published in British comics 2000 AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine...
  
   that kept the irradiated denizens of the Cursed Earth
  Cursed Earth
  The Cursed Earth is a part of the fictional universe from the Judge Dredd series that appears in the UK comic book 2000 AD.-Background:...
  
   barred from the city. The resulting disruption and unrest saw the tide turn against her, and she was voted out of office.

• Dan Francisco
  Judge Francisco
  Chief Judge Dan Francisco is a fictional supporting character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He is chief judge of Mega-City One.-Fictional character biography:...
  
  (2131–2132) was a street judge made famous by a 24-hour reality TV show following his exploits. Due to his fame, in 2131 he was chosen as a candidate to run against Hershey for chief judge with the intention of bringing back mutant apartheid
  Mutants (Judge Dredd)
  Mutants are a recurring theme in the Judge Dredd science-fiction stories published in British comics 2000 AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine...
  
  . He was put forward as a candidate by Judges Sinfield
  Judge Sinfield
  Judge Martin Sinfield is a fictional supporting character and antagonist in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD, most notably in the story "Tour of Duty"...
  
  , Cardew and Millan, and won by a landslide after the anti-mutant Norm Supremacists organised a mutant gang attack on him (so as to rally support behind him). On his first day in office he reinstated the ban on mutants, but implemented this policy with some measure of compassion, insisting that exiled mutants be rehoused in decent accommodation outside the city. Frustrated at what he regarded as Francisco's profligate spending on the new mutant townships
  Tour of Duty (Judge Dredd story)
  Tour of Duty is a Judge Dredd story published in British comic 2000 AD . It lasted for 46 episodes, 39 of which were written by John Wagner. It has the greatest number of episodes and pages of any Judge Dredd story...
  
  , Sinfield drugged Francisco with a powerful hypnotic drug and persuaded him to resign.

• Martin Sinfield
  Judge Sinfield
  Judge Martin Sinfield is a fictional supporting character and antagonist in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD, most notably in the story "Tour of Duty"...
  
  (2132) was appointed deputy chief judge by Francisco in 2131, in which capacity he assigned Judge Dredd to supervise the mutant townships being built in the Cursed Earth
  Cursed Earth
  The Cursed Earth is a part of the fictional universe from the Judge Dredd series that appears in the UK comic book 2000 AD.-Background:...
  
  . Sinfield became acting chief judge when Francisco resigned, and immediately set about instituting even harsher new anti-mutant policies. When Sinfield prematurely called off a search for a missing judge in the Cursed Earth, endangering his life, Dredd lodged a formal complaint against Sinfield with the Council of Five. When the Council dismissed Dredd's claim, Dredd decided to stand for election for chief judge himself. In July 2132 Sinfield was arrested when evidence came to light that he had used illegal means to force Judge Francisco to resign. He was sentenced to 20 years hard labour on Titan
  Titan in fiction
  Titan is the largest moon of Saturn. It has a substantial atmosphere and is the most Earth-like satellite in the Solar System, making it a popular science fiction setting.- Literature :* Flight on Titan , short story by Stanley G. Weinbaum...
  
  .

• Dan Francisco (2132 – present) returned to office and appointed Dredd to the Council of Five.

2116

Winner: Volt

Judge Volt

Chief Judge Hadrian Volt is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He was chief judge of Mega-City One between 2116 and 2121 .-Fictional character biography:...

(208 votes)

Defeated candidates: Dredd (130), Herriman (49), Hershey

Judge Hershey

Judge Barbara Hershey is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd series that appears in British comic 2000 AD. For nearly two decades she regularly appeared as Dredd's sidekick, before being promoted to become his superior: she was chief judge for nine years...

 (13), Plaski (withdrew).

Chief Judges of the United States

• Fargo
  Chief Judge Fargo
  Chief Judge Eustace Fargo is an important fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He is Judge Dredd's clone father....
  
   (2031 to 2051)

• Solomon
  Judge Solomon
  Chief Judge Hollins Solomon is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd stories in the comic 2000 AD. His first appearance in the comic was in a flashback in #68, in the 1978 story The Cursed Earth. However his main appearance is in the story Origins , as a recurring character in a series of...
  
   (2051 to 2052)

Chief Judges of Mega-City One

• Solomon
  Judge Solomon
  Chief Judge Hollins Solomon is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd stories in the comic 2000 AD. His first appearance in the comic was in a flashback in #68, in the 1978 story The Cursed Earth. However his main appearance is in the story Origins , as a recurring character in a series of...
  
   (2052 to 2057)

• Goodman
  Judge Goodman
  Chief Judge Clarence Goodman is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd stories published in the British comic 2000 AD. He appeared in the first episode of Judge Dredd in March 1977 , and was the first regularly recurring supporting character.-Biography:Goodman was joint deputy chief judge at the...
  
   (2057 to 2100 or 2101) (2000 AD progs 2–89)

• Cal
  Judge Cal
  Chief Judge Cal is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He was loosely based on the real life Roman emperor Caligula, who is widely considered to have been insane...
  
   (2101, or 2100 to 2101) (2000 AD progs 89–108) Usurper

• Griffin
  Judge Griffin
  Chief Judge Griffin is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He was chief judge of Mega-City One between 2101 and 2104.-Fictional character biography :...
  
   (2101 to 2104) (2000 AD progs 108–261)

• McGruder
  Judge McGruder
  Chief Judge Hilda Margaret McGruder is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd stories published in the British comic 2000 AD. She was the first female Chief Judge of Mega-City One, and the first Judge of Mega-City One to become Chief Judge twice...
  
   (2104 to 2108) (2000 AD progs 270–457)

• Silver
  Judge Silver
  Chief Judge Thomas Silver was chief judge of the fictional city of Mega-City One in the Judge Dredd comic strip.-Fictional character biography:...
  
   (2108 to 2112) (2000 AD progs 457–684)

• Judge Death
  Judge Death
  Judge Death is a fictional character of the Judge Dredd universe recounted in the UK comic 2000 AD. He is the leader of the Dark Judges, a sinister group of undead law enforcers from the alternate dimension of Deadworld, where all life has been declared a crime since only the living commit crimes...
  
   (2112) (2000 AD progs 684–696) Usurper

Between 2112 and 2113 an undead

Undead

Undead is a collective name for fictional, mythological, or legendary beings that are deceased and yet behave as if alive. Undead may be incorporeal, such as ghosts, or corporeal, such as vampires and zombies...

 Silver was chief judge de jure

De jure

De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....

and McGruder chief judge de facto

De facto

De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...

.

• McGruder
  Judge McGruder
  Chief Judge Hilda Margaret McGruder is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd stories published in the British comic 2000 AD. She was the first female Chief Judge of Mega-City One, and the first Judge of Mega-City One to become Chief Judge twice...
  
   (2113 to 2116) (2000 AD progs 696–915)

• Office in commission during interregnum
  Interregnum
  An interregnum is a period of discontinuity or "gap" in a government, organization, or social order...
  
   (2116):
  • Shenker
    Judge Shenker
    Judge Shenker is a fictional supporting character in the Judge Dredd and Anderson, Psi Division comic strips in British comics 2000 AD and Judge Dredd Megazine. He is the head of Psi Division...
    
    
  • Hershey
    Judge Hershey
    Judge Barbara Hershey is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd series that appears in British comic 2000 AD. For nearly two decades she regularly appeared as Dredd's sidekick, before being promoted to become his superior: she was chief judge for nine years...
    
    
  • Niles
    Judge Niles
    Judge Rog Niles is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in British comic 2000 AD. He first appeared in 2000 AD prog 706 . He is the head of the Public Surveillance Unit...
    
    

• Volt
  Judge Volt
  Chief Judge Hadrian Volt is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He was chief judge of Mega-City One between 2116 and 2121 .-Fictional character biography:...
  
   (2116 to 2121) (2000 AD progs 918–1167)
  • Hershey
    Judge Hershey
    Judge Barbara Hershey is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd series that appears in British comic 2000 AD. For nearly two decades she regularly appeared as Dredd's sidekick, before being promoted to become his superior: she was chief judge for nine years...
    
     acting chief judge (2121 to 2122) (2000 AD progs 1167–1178)

• Hershey
  Judge Hershey
  Judge Barbara Hershey is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd series that appears in British comic 2000 AD. For nearly two decades she regularly appeared as Dredd's sidekick, before being promoted to become his superior: she was chief judge for nine years...
  
   (2122 to 2131) (2000 AD progs 1178–1648)

• Francisco
  Judge Francisco
  Chief Judge Dan Francisco is a fictional supporting character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He is chief judge of Mega-City One.-Fictional character biography:...
  
   (2131 to 2132) (2000 AD progs 1649–1666)
  • Sinfield
    Judge Sinfield
    Judge Martin Sinfield is a fictional supporting character and antagonist in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD, most notably in the story "Tour of Duty"...
    
     acting chief judge (2132) (2000 AD progs 1667–1693) Usurper

• Francisco
  Judge Francisco
  Chief Judge Dan Francisco is a fictional supporting character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He is chief judge of Mega-City One.-Fictional character biography:...
  
   (2132 to present) (2000 AD prog 1693 to present)

Deputy Chief Judges

(This list is technically incomplete, but includes all relevant characters who have appeared in the comic strip.)

• Solomon
  Judge Solomon
  Chief Judge Hollins Solomon is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd stories in the comic 2000 AD. His first appearance in the comic was in a flashback in #68, in the 1978 story The Cursed Earth. However his main appearance is in the story Origins , as a recurring character in a series of...
  
   and Goodman
  Judge Goodman
  Chief Judge Clarence Goodman is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd stories published in the British comic 2000 AD. He appeared in the first episode of Judge Dredd in March 1977 , and was the first regularly recurring supporting character.-Biography:Goodman was joint deputy chief judge at the...
  
   jointly until 2051, when Solomon became chief judge.

• Goodman (2051 to 2057). Became chief judge.

• Fodder (???? to 2100). Murdered.

• Cal
  Judge Cal
  Chief Judge Cal is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He was loosely based on the real life Roman emperor Caligula, who is widely considered to have been insane...
  
   (2100, or 2100 to 2101). Succeeded to chief judge.

• Fish (2101, or 2100 to 2101). Assassinated.

• Grampus (2101). Executed.

• Pepper (2101 to 2103). Assassinated.

• Herriman (2116 to 2120). Assassinated.

• Hershey
  Judge Hershey
  Judge Barbara Hershey is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd series that appears in British comic 2000 AD. For nearly two decades she regularly appeared as Dredd's sidekick, before being promoted to become his superior: she was chief judge for nine years...
  
   (2120 to 2122). Elected chief judge.

• Sinfield
  Judge Sinfield
  Judge Martin Sinfield is a fictional supporting character and antagonist in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD, most notably in the story "Tour of Duty"...
  
   (2131 to 2132). Succeeded to chief judge.

• Cardew (2132). Resigned.

Other Chief Judges

• Judge Death
  Judge Death
  Judge Death is a fictional character of the Judge Dredd universe recounted in the UK comic 2000 AD. He is the leader of the Dark Judges, a sinister group of undead law enforcers from the alternate dimension of Deadworld, where all life has been declared a crime since only the living commit crimes...
  
   (usurper in 2112)
• Judge Greel (acting chief judge in 2116 while the serving chief judge was abroad)
• Judge Grice
  Judge Grice
  Judge Grice was a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. Created in 1990 by John Wagner and Steve Dillon, Grice later had his own spin-off series, Purgatory by Mark Millar and Carlos Ezquerra...
  
  (usurper in 2115)
• In the short-lived comic Judge Dredd: Lawman of the Future (1995–96), which featured an entirely different version of Judge Dredd from the original 2000 AD version, there was a chief judge called Jefferson.