The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) recommends candidates for judicial roles in England and Wales and for some UK wide tribunal roles.
We use competency and skills and abilities frameworks combined with other criteria that are set out in law to assess the suitability of candidates.
We regularly monitor what we do to ensure our processes are fair, free from bias, and are independent.
We work with a range of different organisations to support diversity within the judiciary.
Our combined strategy and business plan sets out how we will meet the judiciary’s recruitment needs from 2024 to 2027. It also contains details of our vision and values.
Roles we help fill
Most of our work involves recommending candidates for judicial roles up to and including the High Court as well as non-legal positions for specialist tribunals with UK-wide powers. When asked by the Lord Chancellor, we also help fill senior judicial roles.
We are not involved with recruiting magistrates. While we are involved in UK Supreme Court roles, this is not led by us.
How we help fill roles
The Ministry of Justice and HM Courts and Tribunal Service are responsible for identifying roles. We then work with these organisations, as well as Judicial Office, to agree the framework for selection exercises.
Our selection exercises cover niche appointments through to more general roles. They can be for posts in certain jurisdictions, circuits or regions or more generic recruitment.
We hold regular selection exercises for most roles every year although some take place less often. Find out about when we hold selection exercises.
Our history
The creation of the JAC was an important move towards greater separation of powers between the legislature, the executive and the judiciary.
In 2003 the Government announced its intention to change the system for making appointments to judicial offices in England and Wales. The reform was an important step towards strengthening the drive to officially enshrine judicial independence in law, enhancing accountability and ensuring greater public confidence.
Following extensive consultation, the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 received Royal Assent, enshrining in law the independence of the judiciary and radically changed the way judges are appointed.
As a result of the Act, the JAC was formally established on 3 April 2006.
Our statutory duties
Under the Constitutional Reform Act, the JAC’s statutory duties are to:
- select candidates solely on merit
- select only people of good character
- have regard to the need to encourage diversity in the range of persons available for judicial selection
The judicial appointments for which the JAC makes selections are set out in Schedule 14 to the Act.