Pro Tempore

Pro tempore (often abbreviated pro tem) designates a person who serves temporarily in a position that is otherwise held by someone else. The most familiar usage is the President pro tempore of the United States Senate, who presides in the absence of the Vice President. In judicial practice, a judge pro tempore is an attorney or retired judge appointed to serve temporarily on the bench, usually to handle a specific case or clear a backlog. Arbitrators and mediators may also be appointed pro tempore. The appointment carries the full authority of the regular officeholder for the duration of the temporary service but terminates automatically when the need for temporary service ends.

The term appears in legislative, judicial, and administrative contexts where a temporary appointment is needed to fill a vacancy or serve a specific function. Judges pro tempore are commonly appointed in state courts to address caseload pressures or when the regular judge is recused.