一位法律專業(yè)的研究生向筆者提出了一個問題：“associate justice”是什么意思——是否可譯作“副法官”。他的根據(jù)，自然是從“associate professor”的譯名“副教授”類推出來的。筆者請他查查英漢法律詞典，其結(jié)果如下：
1． Associate justice法院的陪審法官；助理法官?？上У氖牵捍俗g差矣！
甲．陪審官是陪審官，法官是法官，“陪審法官”究竟是陪審官還是法官抑或兩官兼而任之的呢？
乙．其為“助理法官”，根據(jù)何在？
但是單從反面否定，尚無法肯定"associate justice“的正確理解和翻譯。因此，就翻出英美法律詞書各一種來，請他看：
2．ASSOCIATE．An Officer． The term is frequently used Of the judges Of appeUate courts，Other than the presiding judge or chief justice．
—Baldwins Century Edtion of Bouvier's Law Dictionary
3．ASSOCIATE JUSTICES．The name given in the Federal and many Of the state courts Of the U．S．To the judges other than the chief justice.．
—The Oxford Companion JOLaw，OXfOrd 1980
由此可見，“Associate Justice”并不是“陪審法官”更非“助理法官”而是地地道道的“法官”（且不以聯(lián)邦法院為限、州法院中亦有之）——即不擔(dān)任院長或?qū)徟虚L的法官。
不但有上列詞書為證，言語實踐也提供了有力的旁證：
近些年來，美國聯(lián)邦法院法官一再難產(chǎn)，直至不久前，安東尼·肯尼迪終于登上了聯(lián)邦法院法官席，得以宣誓就職：
4．The U．S．Supreme Court is once again at full strength：“1，Anthony Kennedy，do S01emnly swear that will support and defend the constitution．．．”
一ABC“NewHilights”asper TSOCE My 8894
這位彌補了聯(lián)邦法院缺額的肯尼迪氏乃有史以來擔(dān)任該院大法官的第104人，而他的官銜就是（Associate）Justice——主持宣誓儀式的里根，正是這樣稱呼他的：
5.Anthony Kennedy became the 104 person to the Court as he was sworn in before a crowd Of well-including his sponsor，President Reagan：wishers “We gather here today tO welcome as the newest Associate Justice Of the Supreme Court，the man I`ve known andrespected for more than a decade and who，like those Washington nominated，will give dignity and luster to our national character．Anthony M．Kennedy——Judge，and now Justice Kennedy sounds good，doesn't it？”
—Ibid
瞧，原來任下級法院法官（judge） 的Anthony Kennedy現(xiàn)在是“Associate Justice”即‘Justice“（法院大法官）了。他的前任也是Justice （Justice Powell），更足以證明”Associate Justice“實乃”Justice“之同義詞：
6．Kennedy responded this way：
“It iS a singular privilege tO succeed to the place left by Justice Powell who served the Court and the country with such wisdom and distinction．”
—Ibid
綜上所述，“Associate Justice”與“Justice”同義，即（不擔(dān)任院長或庭長的）“大法官”（稱“大法官'，所以區(qū)別于”Judge“之為”法官“也）。（Associate Justice日語譯作”判事“即漢語”推事“亦即我們常用的”法官“——而不是什么望文生義的”助理法官“或”陪審法官“。
1． Associate justice法院的陪審法官；助理法官?？上У氖牵捍俗g差矣！
甲．陪審官是陪審官，法官是法官，“陪審法官”究竟是陪審官還是法官抑或兩官兼而任之的呢？
乙．其為“助理法官”，根據(jù)何在？
但是單從反面否定，尚無法肯定"associate justice“的正確理解和翻譯。因此，就翻出英美法律詞書各一種來，請他看：
2．ASSOCIATE．An Officer． The term is frequently used Of the judges Of appeUate courts，Other than the presiding judge or chief justice．
—Baldwins Century Edtion of Bouvier's Law Dictionary
3．ASSOCIATE JUSTICES．The name given in the Federal and many Of the state courts Of the U．S．To the judges other than the chief justice.．
—The Oxford Companion JOLaw，OXfOrd 1980
由此可見，“Associate Justice”并不是“陪審法官”更非“助理法官”而是地地道道的“法官”（且不以聯(lián)邦法院為限、州法院中亦有之）——即不擔(dān)任院長或?qū)徟虚L的法官。
不但有上列詞書為證，言語實踐也提供了有力的旁證：
近些年來，美國聯(lián)邦法院法官一再難產(chǎn)，直至不久前，安東尼·肯尼迪終于登上了聯(lián)邦法院法官席，得以宣誓就職：
4．The U．S．Supreme Court is once again at full strength：“1，Anthony Kennedy，do S01emnly swear that will support and defend the constitution．．．”
一ABC“NewHilights”asper TSOCE My 8894
這位彌補了聯(lián)邦法院缺額的肯尼迪氏乃有史以來擔(dān)任該院大法官的第104人，而他的官銜就是（Associate）Justice——主持宣誓儀式的里根，正是這樣稱呼他的：
5.Anthony Kennedy became the 104 person to the Court as he was sworn in before a crowd Of well-including his sponsor，President Reagan：wishers “We gather here today tO welcome as the newest Associate Justice Of the Supreme Court，the man I`ve known andrespected for more than a decade and who，like those Washington nominated，will give dignity and luster to our national character．Anthony M．Kennedy——Judge，and now Justice Kennedy sounds good，doesn't it？”
—Ibid
瞧，原來任下級法院法官（judge） 的Anthony Kennedy現(xiàn)在是“Associate Justice”即‘Justice“（法院大法官）了。他的前任也是Justice （Justice Powell），更足以證明”Associate Justice“實乃”Justice“之同義詞：
6．Kennedy responded this way：
“It iS a singular privilege tO succeed to the place left by Justice Powell who served the Court and the country with such wisdom and distinction．”
—Ibid
綜上所述，“Associate Justice”與“Justice”同義，即（不擔(dān)任院長或庭長的）“大法官”（稱“大法官'，所以區(qū)別于”Judge“之為”法官“也）。（Associate Justice日語譯作”判事“即漢語”推事“亦即我們常用的”法官“——而不是什么望文生義的”助理法官“或”陪審法官“。