Jonathan Sumption QC, a JAC Commissioner, admits he was initially opposed to written qualifying tests for judicial appointments. But experience has persuaded him that they are less imperfect than any reasonable alternative.
Written qualifying tests are now an established part of the procedures used by the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC). If you intend to apply for any judicial office below the level of Senior Circuit Judge, the likelihood is that you will have to sit a test at the outset of the exercise. These tests are unpopular among barristers for a variety of reasons, some good and some bad. You may therefore think it perverse of me to be writing an article whose main purpose is to persuade you to sign up for more.