How to Become a Judge

Co-authored by Nathan Fox, JD

Last Updated: July 12, 2023 Approved

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The road to becoming a judge is a lengthy but fulfilling one that leads to a rewarding career in the judicial field. If you have a passion for fairness and justice, becoming a judge may be the perfect choice for you. In this article, we'll walk you through everything you need to know about becoming a judge, from the educational requirements to gaining the right experience.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Meeting the Educational Requirements

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1
Obtain a bachelor's degree from a 4-year university. To prepare yourself for getting into a top-notch law school, attend the best university possible. Ivy league schools such as Harvard, Yale and Princeton will prepare you well for law school. However, prestigious law schools often accept students from much smaller undergraduate institutions. Making sure that you participate in extracurricular activities like debate, and preparing well for the LSAT, are the most important things to remember while earning your bachelor's degree.
- There is no specific major requirement, but many law school applicants have bachelor of arts (BA) degrees in subjects like political science, sociology, history, business and economics. Every discipline has application to the field of law and therefore your future role as a judge. The more rigorous your undergraduate courses, the better prepared you will be for law school. ^{[1] X Research source}
- Your performance in college will determine whether you're accepted into law school, so get the highest grades possible. Complete assignments promptly, keep up with your reading, and study adequately for exams.
- Get real-world experience by completing an internship at a law firm during your undergraduate years. The sooner you get familiar with the legal world, the better.
2
Apply to law school. It takes many years to work your way to a judgeship, so you may want to attend law school as soon as you graduate from college. Apply to top law schools in areas where you might want to eventually practice law.
- Ace the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). It's important to score as highly as possible. Competition for getting into law school is notoriously high, and even more so at the best law schools in the country. People who go on to be judges are usually top scorers.
  - Start studying with time to spare. Most people need a couple of months of prepping before being able to tackle a test of this magnitude. Make sure to study with at least three months before the test.
  - Consider signing up for an LSAT preparatory course or hiring a private tutor to help you excel and receive a top score.
  - If you are dissatisfied with your LSAT score, you can take the test again before applying to law school.
- Write intelligent, interesting personal statements. The ability to research, write and think analytically are key in law school. Show that you're a top candidate by putting a lot of time and thought into your personal statements and writing samples.
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3
Complete law school. Most law schools offer a 3-year program, and upon completion you receive a Juris Doctor degree. Don't let up on your commitment to getting good grades and being at the top of your class now; you'll need to stand out from your classmates as one of the best if you want to land a prestigious job after school. ^{[2] X Research source}
- During the first year of law school, students learn the fundamentals of law, such as civil procedure, contracts, and torts. In the next two years, elective courses in specialized fields of law such as family law and tax law are offered.
- It's essential that you get experience working with lawyers while you're in law school. Set up a meeting with the career services office at your school to find out about internship opportunities in your area.
4
Pass a bar exam. The bar exam is a test designed by the American Bar Association to determine whether a candidate is qualified to practice law in his or her jurisdiction.^{[3] X Trustworthy Source American Bar Association Leading professional organization of lawyers and law students Go to source} Each state has its own bar exam, and you will need to pass the exam in the state where you wish to practice. Bar exams in different states vary in their level of difficulty and pass/fail rates.
- Enroll in a bar preparatory course. There are a few different programs for bar review, the most popular of which are Barbri and Kaplan.^{[4] X Trustworthy Source American Bar Association Leading professional organization of lawyers and law students Go to source}
- Take the bar as soon as possible after graduating law school so that the information is fresh. If you don't pass the bar the first time you take it, you can try again.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Gaining Experience

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Work as an attorney. Judges must work as attorneys prior to attaining a judgeship. Attorneys represent clients before a court and in other legal proceedings to resolve disputes and protect their clients' interests.^{[5] X Research source}
- There are a variety of fields that a lawyer can specialize in, including immigration law, corporate law, tax law, civil rights law, environmental law, and intellectual property law. Choose a field that you are passionate about.
- When you are first starting out, apply for entry-level law positions at law firms and offices in your state.
2
Spend a lot of time in the courtroom. Being a prosecutor or government attorney offers a unique chance to become intimately familiar with the way the bench operates. If you're drawn to this setting and prefer to spend your time in front of a judge rather than doing legal research, pursuing a position as a judge may be the right choice for you.
- It isn't mandatory to be a prosecutor to become a judge, but the majority of people who apply and are appointed to judgeships have a plenty of prosecutorial experience.
- Spending time in the courtroom is also beneficial because it gives standing judges and other people whose support you may later need the chance to get to know you. Do your best to become a regular, high-profile presence in your local court system.
3
Prepare yourself to be a good judge. The path to obtaining a judgeship is about more than networking your way to the top. It's just as important to hone and display traits that you will need to take on the authority and honor of having the power to make tough legal decisions.^{[6] X Research source}
- Be respectful toward judicial assistants, court reporters, and the opposing counsel. Your job as an attorney is to advance justice, not disrupt court proceeding for the sake of advancing your own career.
- Display dignity and patience under stress. If you lose your temper or reveal an unfair bias during a heated moment, you won't be taken as seriously as a judicial candidate when the time comes to apply.
- Develop empathy for a broad range of people. As a judge, you will need to be a good listener to people from all walks of life. Every person deserves the same thoughtful, balanced, legally-accurate and just consideration, and it's your responsibility to deliver that.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Pursuing a Judgeship

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1
Apply for a judgeship in your state. Candidates apply for judgeships through a judicial nominating commission, or can be recommended by senators or other politicians. Either way, candidates must go through a lengthy application process. At the end of the process, they may be elected or appointed to work as judges, depending on the jurisdiction.^{[7] X Research source}
- Federal, state, and local judges have fixed or renewable terms of office, while some federal judges are appointed to lifelong terms.^{[8] X Research source}
- Be ready to disclose personal information in your application. A judge's past mistakes are always revealed, and sometimes they are rehashed in the press. You will be asked about your involvement in past lawsuits, treatment or counseling you have received for substance abuse, and so on.^{[9] X Research source}
- Send an application to bar associations. In addition to applying for a judgeship through the state supreme court, it's necessary to be evaluated by bar associations that may be influential judicial decision-making. Bar associations have the power to either recommend or choose not to recommend you for a judgeship, so these applications should be taken seriously.
- Apply more than once. Most people don't obtain a judgeship on the first try. In fact, failing the first time is almost considered to be a prerequisite for eventually getting a judgeship. Go through the application process again, continuing to garner support from judges and show your talent and qualifications in the courtroom.
2
Get to know the judges in your district. Aside from having a thorough, well written application, the best thing you can do to enhance your chance of obtaining a judgeship is to get to know the judges. They will be more likely to support a candidate whom they know and respect.
- Continue appearing in court so that judges get used to your presence. Argue motions and try cases as often as possible.^{[10] X Research source}
- Attend conferences, meetings, and other events where you have the chance to speak one-on-one with judges.
- Support other people, so they'll support you. Don't expect to win people's support without putting in effort to help them succeed, too.
3
Win an election. Depending on what judgeship you're pursuing, you may have to be elected, rather than appointed, for the role. In some cases you may win a temporary appointment with the understanding you will run for the position as a sitting judge. In any case, you must act as part of a political party and run a campaign to get or keep the seat.^{[11] X Research source}
- Be a people person. Running for an elective judicial office is like running for other political offices; you must have an appealing public persona that makes people want to vote for you.
- Raise money. All campaigns involve raising enough money to make you a viable contender. This isn't easy to do, but it's absolutely necessary.
Once you have been elected or appointed, you will need to complete certain introductory training programs or seminars before you can start practicing as a judge. Trainees may participate in court trials, review legal publications, and complete online exercises. Training may continue throughout your career to ensure you're informed about the latest changes to the law.^{[12] X Research source}

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How can I study for the LSAT fast?

Nathan Fox, JD
LSAT Teacher, Founder of LSATdemon
Nathan Fox is an LSAT teacher, the co-host of the Thinking LSAT Podcast, and the co-founder of LSATdemon. Nathan is the author of six LSAT books including The Fox LSAT Logical Reasoning Encyclopedia. He scored a 179 on the February 2007 LSAT and holds a JD from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.

Nathan Fox, JD

LSAT Teacher, Founder of LSATdemon

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If you're short on time, you should reschedule your test. Cramming the studies for the LSAT is not really a good idea. People who just take the test cold or who prep for only a week or two are usually not successful.

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Why should I do this I don't want to be a judge?

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Is there a particular reason you felt the need to read this article? It's nice that you did but you don't have to follow anything you read online unless it's suitable for you. You may like to know that judges are highly thought of in many communities and are well paid, in a relatively stable job that's not going to go out of fashion the way many jobs will in the coming years. So perhaps it's something to consider after all. But if a career in law holds absolutely no interest for you, then that's fine too!

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I'm 12 years old. How do I prepare to become a judge?

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In the USA, to become a judge you must first obtain a degree from a college or university and then a law degree (JD) from an accredited law school. Right now, apply yourself to doing as well as possible in a wide variety of subjects throughout your education, particularly reading comprehension, critical thinking, writing, history, and government. You might also want to go to your local courthouse, sit (quietly) in courtrooms and watch what lawyers and judges do.

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The defendant is innocent until proven guilty.

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The expected job growth rate for judges between 2010 and 2020 is 7%.

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