For the purpose of this Article
(1) The word "judge" shall mean the resident judge of the superior court in the district where the cause is pending, or special judge residing in said district, or the judge of the superior court assigned to hold the courts of said district or the emergency or special judge holding court in the county where the cause is pending.
(2) The words "person," "owner," and "party" shall include the plural; the word "person" shall include a firm or public or private corporation, and the word "Department" shall mean the Department of tation. (1959, c. 1025, s. 2; 1961, c. 1084, s. 7; 1965, c. 422; 1973, c. 507, s. 5; 1975, c. 19, s. 47; 1977, c. 464, s. 30.)