It's said the man upstairs loves one judge (5)

I believe the answer is:

trier

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'one judge' is the definition.
(trier is a kind of judge)

I don't understand how the rest of the clue works.

(Other definitions for trier that I've seen before include "home for some Germans" , "German town, the capital of the northern empire in Roman times" , "One making an attempt" , "Persistent type" , "Test" .)

I've seen this clue in the Irish Times.

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