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© Copyright, Judicial Appointments Commission 2026.

Background on the Judicial Skills and Abilities Framework

Published:

What is changing and why?

The judiciary, Judicial College and Judicial Appointments Commission have worked together to update the Judicial Skills and Abilities Framework (JSAF), a single, unified framework that will align judicial recruitment, training, and appraisal processes.

The framework is owned by the judiciary, and the Judicial Appointments Commission are now adopting it as the way we recruit for judicial roles. This adoption comes after a review of the framework, which was last updated ten years ago. This ensures the appointments process keeps up to date with this recent refresh.

Implementation timeline

  • Current to September 2025: All exercises will continue to use the existing competency frameworks and JAC Skills and Abilities frameworks
  • From October 2025: All new exercises will use the JSAF framework

Further information

The JSAF represents an update to the previous framework last reviewed in 2014/15. This follows a thorough review led by Lady Justice Falk with support from a steering group of judges across jurisdictions and representatives from the relevant organisations impacted which included JAC Commissioners Lord Justice Mark Warby and Professor Chris Bones.

The framework document has been published on the Judiciary’s website. There is further guidance on demonstrating JSAF skills and abilities on the JAC website.

We published a news story in January on the JAC website about the publication of the framework.

The Judicial Office’s announcement is available to view on their website.

The JSAF has been drafted by judges, for judges and prospective judges to enable them to evidence their experience and suitability for judicial office. The JSAF highlights the key skills that all judicial office holders or prospective judicial office holders should demonstrate across their application or career. Guidance has been provided which details the positive and negative elements of each skill within the JSAF which might assist as part of applications.