tiro

In my understanding of the OT Covenant, there were three official positions of spiritual leadership for the nation: The Prophet of the era, The Judge of the Nation, and the High Priest. The High Priest and the Judge were equal in authority although operating in different spheres. The Prophet was the highest or most authoritative as that person would be led of God to appoint a High Priest or The Judge of the Nation. Deborah in effect as well as I think two others in history, held the positions of the most authoritative leadership in her time.

Sometimes, people confuse her position with that of the local civil judges. But they were never named in Scriptures, just referred to. It was The Judge of the Nation that was chosen by God and named in Scripture, that assisted the civil judges in cases too difficult for them.