How to Become a Judge in 5 Steps

You may choose to become a judge because of many reasons. Often it comes from a desire to serve. Judges play a direct role in upholding fairness, protecting rights, and enforcing the law. Many lawyers choose to become a judge because they want to ensure that justice is impartial and want to play a role in the decision making process in a fair and thoughtful way. 

You may also choose to become a judge if you’ve worked as an attorney for years and would prefer a more stable job with predictable hours and no clients or billing. 

The overall reason for becoming a judge is through personal fulfilment and doing a meaningful and rewarding job that directly impacts the people you are working with. 

H2 What Does a Judge Do?

At the core, a judge’s job is to ensure that justice is carried out fairly according to the law. 

In practice, a judge will oversee all court proceedings, manage the courtroom and ensure that a case is following proper legal procedures, maintaining order, and acts as a neutral referee between attorneys and the jury.
They’ll interpret and apply the law to each case that they oversee, which can involve quick logical reasoning that involves responding to legal objections and motions. They will also typically sentence offenders and issue orders, warrants, and injunctions.

There are two types of trials that a judge may be involved in

• Bench Trials (No Jury)

During these trials, the judge is the sole decider of the final verdict.

• Jury Trials

During these trials, the judge will typically explain what the law is, what legal standards the jury needs to follow and the limits of their deliberations.

It’s important to know that judgeship is typically preceded by a career in law. This means that you will usually need to be a lawyer or attorney for several years before starting down the road to judgeship. 

• This makes the first step: Becoming a Laywer

This usually starts with a bachelor’s degree in law or pre-law.

PBA’s bachelors of the arts program in Pre-Law is a great place to start. PBA’s program emphasizes ethical leadership and hands-on experiences, equipping students with both the knowledge and character to excel in legal studies and beyond.

After you complete your law degree, you’ll want to prepare for the LSAT before applying for Law School and taking the Bar Exam.  

The next step is to gain work experience the the law field. Most judges are experienced lawyers and attorneys first.

This can include anything from running your own specialized private practice, becoming a prosecutor or public defender, and even working in government and academic roles. 

Overall building a strong professional reputation and network is essential for becoming a judge. 

This is because of the two main pathways to judgeship:

Once you’ve worked as a lawyer or attorney and built a successful law career, you can choose to pursue judgeship. There are two main pathways to becoming a judge:

• Appointed:

Some judges are appointed by the president or governor of their states and the confirmed by either the U.S. senate (for federal judges) or a state body (for state judges). As mentioned above, this requires strong connections and networks and a clean professional record. 

• Elected:

State and local judges can also be elected by voters. This usually involves campaigning, fundraising, and public service visibility. 

Once chosen, you’ll have to complete judicial training to ensure that you can transition from being a lawyer/academic to be a fully neutral decision maker and can manage your courtroom, along with other nuances of judging. You’ll also learn about opinion writing, sentencing procedures, case management, and more.

This training is typically held by the Federal Judicial Center in Washington D.C. for federal judges, and by Judicial College or Institute for Judicial Education for state judges. 

Judging may require a completely different mindset to the career of a lawyer. This usually takes 1-3 weeks for federal judgeship, and 20-60 hours for state judgeship. You may also be paired with experienced mentors to observe court sessions and provide feedack on judgement writing, trials, and ethics. 

Just because you’ve made it doesn’t mean it stops here! Being a judge is a lifelong commitment and you will be expected to continue learning as society evolves through legal, ethical, and professional developments. 

You’ll typically be required to complete a minimum number of education hours every few years. This can be completed through state judicial colleges, the National Judicial College, the Federal Judicial Center, and local bar associations and legal institutes. 

If you’re sure about becoming a judge, then our Pre Law degree programs can start you on the right path! 

The Pre-Law major at Palm Beach Atlantic University equips students for the diverse and dynamic field of law through comprehensive coursework that fulfills the prerequisites for most professional law degree programs. You’ll gain hands-on experience through research and practical opportunities all within a distinctly Christian framework that explores law, government, and the American Constitution.

• Justice in Christ: Examine the role of Christian thought and its implications in shaping the history and practice of the U.S. legal system.
• Impactful Location: Located in West Palm Beach County, you’ll have access to career-launching internships and opportunities to build lasting professional connections.
• LeMieux Center for Public Policy: Engage in learning and leadership at our on-campus center dedicated to understanding, evaluating, and transforming public policy.
• Study Abroad: Broaden your perspective through global study experiences in destinations such as New Zealand, Colombia, South Korea, and Italy.