Learn Italian: Il giudice ritiene l'uomo sia innocente. - The judge believes the man is innocent.

Just like in English where we can drop 'that' (The judge believes the man is innocent), Italian allows you to drop the conjunction che. This optional omission is very common after verbs of thinking, hoping, or fearing (like ritenere) when they introduce a subjunctive verb (like sia).

Why use ritiene here instead of crede or pensa?

Ritenere is a more formal and objective way to say 'to believe' or 'to consider.' It is the standard verb to use in legal, professional, or academic contexts, which perfectly fits a sentence about a judge. Crede would be grammatically fine but sounds more like a personal or everyday belief.

Why must we use the subjunctive sia instead of the indicative è?

Because the main verb ritiene expresses an opinion, judgment, or belief, not an established fact. Verbs of thinking and believing trigger the subjunctive mood in the subordinate clause, even when the word che is omitted.

Can the subject l'uomo go somewhere else in the second half of the sentence?

Yes, it is very common to invert the subject and verb in these clauses, especially when che is dropped. You might also see or hear Il giudice ritiene sia innocente l'uomo, which places more emphasis on the man, though the word order shown in the main sentence is perfectly standard.