JAC Unveils Faster Judicial Recruitment Plan to Cut Selection Timelines by 25%

What is the JAC changing?

In its announcement published on 5 October 2026, the Judicial Appointments Commission said it is trialling changes intended to reduce the time taken to complete judicial selection exercises.

The JAC said the judicial appointments process is necessarily rigorous and can take a considerable amount of time, with some roles taking more than 50 weeks to recruit. The pilot is intended to identify ways of reducing that timeframe without compromising the quality or fairness of the selection process.

The main change will be the removal of an online scenario test currently used as a shortlisting stage in four large judicial selection exercises. The selection day will instead place greater emphasis on roleplay, accompanied by additional follow-up questions.

Why is judicial recruitment being sped up?

The JAC said the changes are being introduced in response to recommendations from the Independent Review of Criminal Courts, led by Sir Brian Leveson.

The review called for a more flexible recruitment model to help improve resource forecasting for courts. The JAC said its pilot forms part of its response to those recommendations and represents the first step towards reducing the time required to run judicial selection exercises.

The Commission also said that a substantial amount of work takes place before, during and after an application window, contributing to the length of the recruitment process. The pilot is intended to streamline the process without removing the assessment of the skills required for judicial office.

1. 5 October 2026 Judicial Appointments Commission announces its plan for faster judicial recruitment
2. October 2026 onwards Pilot begins across four large judicial selection exercises
3. Pilot period Online scenario test removed as a shortlisting stage and selection days refocused on roleplay
4. Following completion JAC conducts a full evaluation of the pilot
5. Future Successful changes may be rolled out to other judicial selection exercises

Which selection exercises are involved?

The pilot will cover four large judicial selection exercises. The JAC has identified the following exercises for the trial:

• Deputy District Judge
• Fee-paid Judge of the First-tier Tribunal Immigration and Asylum
• Deputy District Judge (Magistrates’ Court)
• Fee-paid Judge of the Employment Tribunal

The same revised selection process will be applied across all four exercises, allowing the JAC to assess how the changes work across different judicial roles.

How will the new process work?

The JAC said the four pilot exercises will follow an identical process. Candidates will still pass through several stages before recommendations are made to the relevant Appropriate Authority.

1. Registration: Candidates provide key personal details and basic information required to process their application.
2. Online qualifying test: Candidates complete a Situational Judgement Test and a Critical Analysis Test. Both are multiple-choice assessments and are marked automatically, with candidates shortlisted according to their scores.
3. Full application: Shortlisted candidates complete a full application, including self-assessment, details of nominated independent assessors and any additional information required.
4. Selection day: Candidates undertake a roleplay followed by additional questions focusing on their understanding of the pre-reading material and scenario.
5. Character checks: Checks are conducted with a range of organisations to ensure candidates recommended for appointment meet the JAC’s Good Character Guidance.
6. Recommendations: The Selection and Character Committee makes recommendations to the relevant Appropriate Authority.

“These changes will cut current timelines by 25%, saving around 12 weeks for each judicial selection exercise.”

The revised process therefore removes one element from the shortlisting stage while giving greater weight to roleplay during the selection day. The JAC said this approach more closely replicates the work candidates are applying to undertake and has previously been successful in other exercises.

What do the changes mean for candidates?

The JAC said the purpose of the changes is not to lower the standard required for judicial appointment. Its stated priority remains a rigorous assessment method that is fair to candidates from all backgrounds and ensures that only the most meritorious candidates are recommended for judicial office.

The Commission considers that reducing the number of shortlisting stages and refocusing the selection day will allow candidates’ key judicial skills to be assessed in greater depth while enabling selection exercises to be completed more quickly.

For candidates taking part in the pilot exercises, the selection day will therefore place particular emphasis on roleplay and follow-up questioning. The JAC said the roleplay format is intended to provide a closer replication of the job candidates are applying for.

What happens after the pilot?

The JAC will evaluate the pilot after all four selection exercises have been completed. The evaluation will consider how the changes have affected the recruitment process and whether the intended reductions in time and judicial resources have been achieved.

The Commission estimates that the changes could reduce current timelines by 25%, equivalent to approximately 12 weeks for each selection exercise. Across the four exercises, it also expects the pilot to reduce the amount of time judges spend supporting judicial recruitment by up to 350 days.

If the pilot is successful, the JAC may consider extending the changes to other judicial selection exercises. The Commission described the pilot as the first step in a wider effort to reduce recruitment times and said it will continue to explore further options.

The changes are therefore intended to balance two objectives: responding more quickly to the staffing needs of courts and tribunals while preserving the rigorous and merit-based approach required for judicial appointments.