Final answer:
In the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, judges were appointed by the Confederation Congress for territories with fewer than 5,000 white adult males.
Step-by-step explanation:
Under the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, a judge was appointed by the Confederation Congress. The ordinance laid out the framework for the governance of the Northwest Territory, including the establishment of a governor and a three-judge panel. When a territory's population of white adult males was fewer than 5,000, the Confederation Congress had the authority to appoint these officials. These provisions were part of a larger plan to organize the settlement of territories and pave the way for the admission of new states into the Union.