To not sway the judgment of a stranger or an orphan: That the judge is prevented from hiding his eyes, to sway the judgment of a stranger or an orphan. And about this it states (Deuteronomy 24:17), “Do not sway the judgment of a stranger or an orphan, etc.” I have written what is needed about the matter of swaying judgment above in the Order of Kedoshim (Sefer HaChinukh 233) and Mishpatim (Sefer HaChinukh 81), according to the way of this book — and take it from there.
And one who transgresses this, and sways the judgment of a stranger, violates two negative commandments — the one is that mentioned here and the second is “Do not do injustice in judgment” in the Order of Mishpatim (Leviticus 19:15). And if [the judged] was a stranger and an orphan, [the judge] violates three [commandments]; one because of [being a] stranger, one because of [being an] orphan — that are [both] mentioned here — and one because of “Do not do injustice in judgment.” And there is no doubt that the main warning here is to the men, as they are in charge of justice. But, nonetheless, women are [also] included in this negative commandment. (See Mishneh Torah, The Sanhedrin and the Penalties within Their Jurisdiction 2.)
שֶׁלֹּא לְהַטּוֹת מִשְׁפַּט גֵּר וְיָתוֹם – שֶׁנִּמְנַע הַדַּיָּן מֵהַעֲלִים עַיִן לְהַטּוֹת דִּין הַגֵּר אוֹ הַיָּתוֹם, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים כד יז) לֹא תַטֶּה מִשְׁפַּט גֵּר יָתוֹם וְגוֹ'. בְּעִנְיַן הַטָּיַת מִשְׁפָּט כָּתַבְתִּי לְמַעְלָה בְּסֵדֶר קְדֹשִׁים (מצוה רלג) וּמִשְׁפָּטִים (מצוה פא) הַצָּרִיךְ לְפִי עִנְיַן הַסֵּפֶר, וְקָחֶנּוּ מִשָּׁם.
To not sway the judgment of a stranger or an orphan: That the judge is prevented from hiding his eyes, to sway the judgment of a stranger or an orphan. And about this it states (Deuteronomy 24:17), “Do not sway the judgment of a stranger or an orphan, etc.” I have written what is needed about the matter of swaying judgment above in the Order of Kedoshim (Sefer HaChinukh 233) and Mishpatim (Sefer HaChinukh 81), according to the way of this book — and take it from there.
וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְהִטָּה מִשְׁפַּט הַגֵּר עוֹבֵר בִּשְׁנֵי לָאוִין. הָאֶחָד זֶה הַנִּזְכָּר בְּכָאן, וְהַשֵּׁנִי עַל לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ עָוֶל בַּמִּשְׁפָּט הַנִּזְכָּר בְּסֵדֶר קְדֹשִׁים תִּהְיוּ (ויקרא יט, טו). וְאִם הָיָה גֵּר וְיָתוֹם עוֹבֵר בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה, אֶחָד מִשּׁוּם גֵּר וְאֶחָד מִשּׁוּם יָתוֹם שֶׁנִּזְכְּרוּ בְּכָאן, וְאֶחָד מִשּׁוּם לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ עָוֶל בַּמִּשְׁפָּט. וְעִקַּר הָאַזְהָרָה בָּזֶה אֵין סָפֵק שֶׁהִיא עַל הָאֲנָשִׁים שֶׁהֵם בַּעֲלֵי הַמִּשְׁפָּט, וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם הַנָּשִׁים בִּכְלַל הָאִסּוּר הֵן [סנהדרין פרק ב].
And one who transgresses this, and sways the judgment of a stranger, violates two negative commandments — the one is that mentioned here and the second is “Do not do injustice in judgment” in the Order of Mishpatim (Leviticus 19:15). And if [the judged] was a stranger and an orphan, [the judge] violates three [commandments]; one because of [being a] stranger, one because of [being an] orphan — that are [both] mentioned here — and one because of “Do not do injustice in judgment.” And there is no doubt that the main warning here is to the men, as they are in charge of justice. But, nonetheless, women are [also] included in this negative commandment. (See Mishneh Torah, The Sanhedrin and the Penalties within Their Jurisdiction 2.)