activist judge

A judge or justice (particularly of the US Supreme Court) who rules in accordance with their personal ideology rather than with how the law is strictly written; often used in a derogatory or pejorative sense. Primarily heard in US. Many attributed the strict environmental rulings to the activist judge who was appointed last November and is known for his love of nature. Look, you're not here to be an activist judge—you're here to interpret the Constitution and make judgments accordingly. I can't believe that guy! What is he, an activist judge—handing out rulings based on his own bent?