Eligibility FAQ
Q. Do applicants need to be a certain age to apply?
There is no upper or lower age limit for candidates for judicial appointments apart from the statutory retirement age of 70 for all judges.
The Lord Chancellor has said that he expects that a reasonable length of service (usually five years) should be attainable on appointment. Candidates are expected to have a minimum period of service for the post (currently 5 or 7 years general qualification).
Candidates as young as 29 have been appointed for positions.
Q. Are people who have qualified and practised in Scotland and Northern Ireland eligible to apply?
All our posts are open to citizens of the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland or a Commonwealth country. You need to meet the other statutory requirements, which vary from job to job.
If you are interested in applying you should study the requirements for the particular job you are thinking of applying for. These can be found in the selection exercise information pack, which will be available on our website when the selection exercise launches.
Q. Do you do anything specifically to encourage applications from disabled candidates?
The JAC actively encourages disabled people to apply for Judicial Office. To support candidates, the JAC will seek to ensure that:
• disabled people are not discriminated against at any stage of the application or selection process;
• candidates are aware of their rights in relation to reasonable adjustments and disability discrimination; and
• requirements in relation to reasonable adjustments are identified and accommodated wherever possible within the application and selection process.
If you would like to know more about the JAC's reasonable adjustments policy or have any particular requirements you would like to discuss you can contact the Equality and Fair Treatment Team or Candidate Services Team who will be happy to help.
Q. Do you have quotas & targets for under-represented groups?
No. We appoint the best candidate for the role through fair and open competition, from the widest range of eligible candidates.
Merit remains the bedrock of our selection procedures and we are committed to ensuring that meritorious candidates are secured from the widest possible field. By encouraging more, eligible people to apply we are contributing to building an effective and impartial judiciary.
Under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 we have very specific duties in the selection of judges and tribunal members, both legal and non-legal. Our statutory responsibilities are:
• to select candidates solely on merit;
• to select only people of good character;
• to have regard to the need to encourage applications from a wider range of candidates.
For further information about the specific requirements of the Constitutional Reform Act please see the information available in the Act.
Q. Does the selection process favour white, middle-class, Oxbridge educated males?
The selection process does not favour any group. We operate fair processes ensuring equal treatment to all.
All candidates need to provide evidence for and clearly demonstrate how they meet the requirements of a post.
It may seem obvious but we can only select from those who apply. Through our advertising and a comprehensive outreach programme, the JAC is actively encouraging a wider range of applicants from as wide a range of backgrounds as possible.
Q. Why is fee paid experience important?
It is not the JAC's decision. The Lord Chancellor sometimes applies non statutory minimum entry requirements for particular vacancies.
The Lord Chancellor requires that candidates applying for salaried judicial posts should normally be expected to have previous judicial experience. Provision will be made for exceptional cases where candidates have demonstrated the necessary skills in some other significant way.