Education A law degree is required for most jobs as a local , state , or federal judge or hearing officer . In addition to a law degree, federal administrative law judges must also pass a competitive exam from the U .S . Office of Personnel Management . Getting a law degree usually takes 7 years of full- time study after high school —4 years of undergraduate study , followed by 3 years of law school . Law degree programs include courses , such as constitutional law , contracts , property law , civil procedure, and legal writing . For more information on how to become a lawyer , see the profile on lawyers . Most judges and magistrates must be appointed or elected into judge positions , a procedure that often takes political support . Many local and state judges are appointed to serve fixed renewable terms, ranging from 4 to 14 years. A few judges , such as appellate court judges , are appointed for life . Judicial nominating commissions screen candidates for judgeships in many states and for some federal judgeships . Some local and state judges are elected to a specific term, commonly 4 years, in an election process . Work Experience in a Related Occupation Most judges and hearing officers learn their skills through years of experience as practicing lawyers . Some states allow those who are not lawyers to hold limited -jurisdiction judgeships , but opportunities are better for those with law experience. Training All states have some type of orientation for newly elected or appointed judges . The Federal Judicial Center , American Bar Association , The National Judicial College , and the National Center for State Courts provide judicial education and training for judges and other judicial branch personnel. More than half of all states , as well as Puerto Rico , require judges to take continuing education courses while serving on the bench . General and continuing education courses usually last from a few days to 3 weeks . Licenses , Certifications, and Registrations Judges who are lawyers already hold a license . Federal administrative law judges must be licensed to practice law . Advancement Advancement for some judicial workers means moving to courts with a broader jurisdiction . Advancement for various hearing officers includes taking on more complex cases, starting businesses , practicing law , and becoming district court judges . Important Qualities Critical - thinking skills . Judges and hearing officers must apply rules of law . They cannot let their own personal assumptions interfere with the proceedings. For example , they must base their decisions on specific meanings of the law , when evaluating and deciding whether a person is a threat to others and must be sent to jail . Decision - making skills. Judges and hearing officers must be able to weigh the facts , to apply the law and rules, and to make a decision relatively quickly . Listening skills. Judges and hearing officers must pay close attention to what is being said , to evaluate information. Reading skills . Judges and hearing officers must be able to evaluate and distinguish the important facts from large amounts of sometimes complex information. Writing skills . Judges and hearing officers write recommendations and decisions on appeals and disputes. They must be able to write their decisions clearly so that all sides understand the decision .
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 03:13:28 +0000
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