DEUT20 [In allocating scare resources] … [i]f every other factor is equal, then the first person arriving or asking for the resource should be given first consideration. This can be demonstrated from a number of Jewish sources. When the Torah [this] verse tells us that in Judaism, all small and large court cases must be heard equally (there is, therefore, no Jewish concept of small-claims court and grand larceny), the Talmud (Sanhedrin 8a) explains that since favoritism is obviously not permitted, the verse is teaching us that cases must be heard in chronological order, that is, the order in which they originally come to the court, no matter what the size of the case. Therefore, the first case presented to the judges must be heard first. The Mishnah (Mishnah, Rosh Hashanah 1:2) describes how Jews are judged by God on Rosh Hashanah: as sheep pass by the shepherd one at a time, so, too, each Jew passes by God and is judged individually. The order of judging, therefore, like the sheep, is that whoever came first, is judged first. This concept has been codified (Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat 15:1) and states that except for the scholar (due to his honor), all cases must be judged in order of appearance.