For Enland and Wales only:
http://www.dca.gov.uk/judicial/index.htm
The judicial appointments process must be of the highest standard, both in its efficiency and effectiveness, as the appointments it facilitates are of such importance. That is why we are continually reviewing the way that judicial appointments are made. For example, the Secretary of State and the Lord Chancellor has recently piloted and agreed the use of Assessment Centres in the selection procedure for appointments to Deputy District Judge and tribunal appointments. All interviews and assessment centres will now take place at Steel House.
PROCESS
Consultation
For some competitions judges and members of the profession are automatically consulted about each applicants suitability for appointment against the competences or criteria for appointment. They will only make assessments of those candidates about whom they have sufficient recent knowledge of their work/experience. No one person’s view about a candidate, whether negative or positive, and however eminent that person may be, is decisive.
For all competitions, applicants are asked to provide the names of between three and six people (nominated consultees) who have recent and substantial knowledge of their work experience in order that they can also be consulted for views as to the applicant’s suitability for appointment against the competences for appointment.
For fee paid appointments except Recorders the consultation takes place after the sift and before the interviews, for all other appointments the consultation is completed prior to the sift.
Sifting of Applications
For appointments up to and including the level of Circuit Judge all applications received from applicants will be considered to form a shortlist of candidates who will be asked to attend a formal interview or assessment centre. The sifting panel consists of a serving judge of a relevant jurisdiction, a senior official representing the Department for Constitutional Affairs and a lay person. The panel considers each candidate’s application and self-assessment against the competencies for appointment, along with the written assessments received where these have been obtained prior to the sift. Taking into account the number of vacancies for the post concerned, a shortlist of successful candidates for interview is compiled.
**Interviews and Assessments
**
Interviews are conducted by the same, or similarly constituted, panels. The panel members make their assessments by asking questions which further test how well each candidate demonstrates the criteria for appointment. The interview therefore provides a further opportunity for the candidate to demonstrate the qualities and skills needed to be a judge.
Judicial Appointments Panel
Each interview generally lasts about 45 minutes. The structure and questions asked depend on the appointment. There are not necessarily right or wrong answers to the majority of questions asked. The panel members are looking to see whether the candidate has sound instincts and the right approach to the sort of problems they might face when sitting. Some candidates have less actual experience of the particular jurisdiction than others and allowance is made for that.
After the interview the candidate is rated against each of the competencies. Each member reaches an independent conclusion and then views are discussed and an overall assessment reached. The rating for each candidate takes account of the written assessments made against the competencies as well as the interview.
A one-day assessment centre was piloted in Autumn 2002 as a replacement for the selection interview. The pilot competitions were Deputy District Judge (Civil), Deputy District Judge (Magistrates’ Courts) and Deputy Queen’s Bench Master. The assessment centre tested selected applicants in various exercises - such as role plays and written case studies as well as an interview. The pilot has been evaluated and this approach has been adopted for future Deputy District Judge competitions and has been further piloted in the appointment of Recorders and Fee Paid Chairmen of the Employment Tribunal.
Appointments
The successful candidates are those who best demonstrate that they meet the criteria during the whole of the selection procedure. First in their application forms, next in the light of the assessments obtained in the consultation process and finally in the interview or an assessment centre. The Lord Chancellor personally considers the applications of each candidate interviewed, before he makes his final decision, which is based on all the information available to him.
AND REVIEW
http://www.cja.gov.uk/
The Commission is an independent body. It was set up in March 2001 to:
* Review the judicial and Queen's Counsel appointment procedures; and
* Investigate complaints about the operation of those procedures.
The Commission makes an annual report to the Lord Chancellor, covering its work in the previous year.
