The independent Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) selects candidates for judicial office. It does so on merit, through fair and open competition, from the widest range of eligible candidates.
If you have comments about our website, please email the JAC Communications team.
What's new
30 June 2009
JAC figures show rise in numbers applying for judicial posts.
The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) today published the results of the 24 selection exercises completed between 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2009. They show a steeply increased competition for posts.
There were 3,514 eligible applicants, up from 2,535 in 2007-8, an increase of nearly 40 per cent for fewer posts (449 against 458).
The full results and accompanying news release are available here.
23 June 2009
Changes to Programme of Selection Exercises for 2009-10
The JAC’s selection exercise programme for 2009/2010 has changed. Under the new programme, there will now be vacancies in January for Deputy Upper Tribunal Judges in the new Immigration and Asylum Chamber. This competition may be restricted to existing salaried and fee paid immigration judges.
The exercise for Fee Paid Immigration Judges in what will be the Immigration and Asylum Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal (currently the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal) has been removed from the 2009/2010 programme, and is now hoped to take place in 2010/2011. The dates for some other exercises have changed.
The selection exercise programme is agreed with the Ministry of Justice each year to include the essential exercises needed to fill judicial vacancies forecast by Her Majesty’s Court Service, Tribunals Service and other tribunals.
Some changes to these requirements are inevitable during the year, because forecasting cannot be an exact science. We always do our best to respond flexibly to requests for changes.
See the full revised programme here
04 June 2009
Fee Paid Chairman of the Competition Appeal Tribunal
The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) is now inviting applications for the post of Fee Paid Chairman of the Competition Appeal Tribunal (the Tribunal).
This vacancy has been advertised in a variety of media. One advert, run in the Law Society Gazette on 4 June, implied that litigation experience is required, whereas this is not the case. A revised advert will appear in the Law Society Gazette next Thursday (11 June).
The closing date for applications for this exercise has changed from 25 June to 2 July.
04 June 2009
Good Character Guidance
An updated version of the Good Character Guidance has now been published on the website. Please ensure that you read this carefully before completing your application.
04 June 2009
JAC research finds out why lawyers apply – or don’t apply - for judicial office.
Research commissioned by the JAC from the British Market Research Bureau, shows that some myths still persist which need to be dispelled.
07 May 2009
Fee Paid Medically Qualified Tribunal Members
The Tribunals Service performs a vital role in the delivery of justice through a variety of expert tribunals. To do that successfully it uses the expertise of professionals from outside the legal community.
The Judicial Appointments Commission is seeking registered medical practitioners to fulfil this judicial role as fee paid members in the Tribunals' Social Entitlement Chamber, determining appeals against decisions of government departments relating to benefit claims. This is an opportunity to use your professional experience as well as your other life skills to consider evidence, both oral and written, and then, together with a judge, find facts based upon that evidence to make decisions which will profoundly affect the lives of those involved.
30 April 2009
The 2009-10 Judicial Selection Exercise Programme
We are delighted to be able to announce our agreed programme of selection exercises for 2009-10. Full details of the programme agreed with the Ministry of Justice are available on our forthcoming selection exercise page. Please check the list regularly as the programme is subject to alteration.
28 April 2009
Lord Chancellor’s Advisory Panel on Judicial Diversity Starts Work
The Lord Chancellor Jack Straw announced today he had set up an Advisory Panel chaired by Baroness Neuberger with the following terms of reference:
To identify the barriers to progress on judicial diversity and to make recommendations to the Lord Chancellor on how to make speedier and sustained progress to a more diverse judiciary at every level an in all courts in England and Wales.
20 February 2009
Recorder Selection Exercise Data Published
The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) today published selection exercise data for the 76 Recorder vacancies across the Northern, North Eastern and Wales circuits. It was the first advertisement for Recorder vacancies since 2005, and the JAC received over 420 valid applications - more than five times the number of vacancies.