Hey Aspirant!

Degree Level: Bachelor's degree and Juris Doctorate (required)

Degree Field:Undergraduate degrees in political science, history, business or economics are beneficial

Licensure law:State-specific license to practice 

Experience required: Lawyer experience generally 

Key Skills: Critical thinking, reasoning, decision-making, communication

Median Salary (2018): $133,920 annually

 It typically takes around 7 years to become a lawyer, including four years of undergraduate courses and three years of law school. After that, most people spend several years practicing as an attorney before seeking a judgeship. The following sections outline the steps one must take to become a judge.

Step 1: Attend Undergraduate School

Aspiring judges can prepare for careers in law during undergraduate school. No specific major of study is required to attend law school, but prospective law students commonly earn an undergraduate degree in political science, history, business or economics. Law school admissions can be competitive, and it is helpful to prepare during your undergraduate years.

Step 2: Earn a Law Degree

You have to be a lawyer first before become a judge In most cases, yes. Most judges begin their careers as lawyers, and prior legal practice is a prerequisite for many state and federal judgeships. Lawyers must hold Juris Doctor (J.D.) degrees, which require completing three years of legal education at a law school approved by the American Bar Association (ABA). Some schools offer part-time programs, which typically take four years to complete.

During the first year of study in law school, students typically focus on fundamental law coursework, including contracts, torts, civil procedure and criminal law. In the final two years, students complete elective classes in specialized topics, such as family law and tax law. Clinical internships are also typically available. Completing an internship during law school can provide students with experience working in the field and networking opportunities, which may make it easier to find employment after graduation.

Step 3: Pass a Bar Exam

After earning a J.D. degree, prospective lawyers must apply for admission to the bar in their state or jurisdiction of practice. Although admission and testing requirements vary, admission to a bar usually requires being licensed, which is gained by passing numerous exams. Exams may include the Multistate Bar Exam, which is a 200-question, 6-hour exam, which tests knowledge of various law fundamentals, such as criminal law, contracts and torts, and an ethics exam and a state-specific exam.

The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) offers past examinations for sale on its website. These exams provide students with an idea of what to expect on the bar examination.

Step 4: Work as an Attorney

Most judges work as attorneys prior to acquiring their judgeship. An attorney represents clients before a court or in other legal proceedings to resolve disputes. Their tasks may include appearing in court, drafting court documents and conducting legal research.

Step 5: Obtain a Judgeship

To become judges, one must either be appointed or elected. Lawyers may apply for judgeships by submitting their names for consideration to a judicial nominating commission, or they may be recommended by senators or other politicians. Generally, becoming nominated for a judgeship requires a strong history of legal practice and support from politicians. Some federal judges are appointed to life-long terms, while other federal, state or local judges have fixed or renewable terms of office. At the end of these terms, judges often either retire or teach law school.

Step 6: Complete Training

After being elected or appointed, judges may be required to complete state-administered introductory training or attend training programs led by legal organizations, such as the ABA, National Judicial College or National Center for State Courts. The Federal Judicial Center provides training programs for federal judges and other federal court personnel. In these programs, trainees participate in court trials, review legal publications and complete online exercises. Most judges are required to complete continuing education courses throughout their careers to stay informed about changes to the law.

Hope it helps you.

Best of luck!

Hey Kartik.

The basic minimum  requirement to become a judge is that you need to complete a Law degree from a college recognised by Bar Council of India. You can pursue law directly after completion of Class 12th with a 5 year integrated law course like BA LLB, BCOM LLB, BBA LLB etc. Or you can pursue a 3 year LLB degree after completing any bachelors degree like BA, BCOM, BBA etc. This will take you total 6 years. You can become a judge directly after completion of your Law degree by attempting the Judicial Services Papers. Each state has its own Judiciary examinations. If you clear the exam and the interview you will be directly appointed to the Lower Judiciary as a Magistrate.  Process- Judiciary  Exams are usually conducted in two successive stages like Judicial Service Preliminary Examination and Judicial Service Main Examination. The Preliminary Exam is conducted in order to shortlist the candidates for the Mains Exams. The score is prelim exams is not considered at a later stage while deciding the merit. The Final merit list for selection of the judges is prepared on the basis of your total marks scored  oin the Main Exam and the Interview.  ELIGIBILITY- The eligibility criteria for Judiciary exams varies from state to state.  Generally the aggregate marks required to qualify for the preliminary exam is around 60% for general category and around 55% for reserved categories. The minimum marks required in the Preliminary round to qualify for the Mains exam also varies each year for each of the state.  Syllabus-  The syllabus also differs from state to state, though the basic is mostly similar. The syllabus for the Prelims can include- The main subjects of Law, Current affairs of National as well as International knowledge, Indian Constitution,Analytical Skills and Aptitude. The Syllabus for the Mains exam will include English and another Language as well along with Law subjects. It would vary according to state to state. It's not the same in every   state.

An interview is also conducted. Other than this if you practice in any court of Law for a minimum period of 7 years and are more than 35 years of age you can attempt the papers to become An Additional District and Session Judge directly skipping the Lower posts.To become a judge in the High court, or the Supreme court, you need a minimum practice of 10 years or holding a relevant judicial office for a minimum period of 10 years and expertise in an area of Law. You can't become a high court/ supreme court judge directly after law.

Best of luck