*/
A judge has launched legal action against the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) over its system for shortlisting potential judges.
David Page, an immigration judge on the western circuit, was one of 850 lawyers who applied last year to become a deputy district judge in magistrates’ courts for 20 days a year. However, he failed to make it through to the second round of the application procedure, a selection day, after sitting “two 40-minute back-to-back speed writing exams on magistrates’ general knowledge”.
All 850 applicants sat the test, with most of them being put up in hotels overnight. Page, who would not have received any extra pay for the role, said: “I am not complaining that I didn’t get the job. I’m seeking a declaration that the method they used was inherently unfair and incapable of identifying the best candidates. The test was simple but there was not enough time to write the answers. The Treasury Solicitor told me they don’t consider anything but the test results.”
Page, who has been a part-time judge since 1999 and sat full-time since 2002, said: “I have 23 years’ relevant experience, but with this test they could get the least experienced people.” A JAC spokesman said: “We can’t comment on individual cases.”
David Page, an immigration judge on the western circuit, was one of 850 lawyers who applied last year to become a deputy district judge in magistrates’ courts for 20 days a year. However, he failed to make it through to the second round of the application procedure, a selection day, after sitting “two 40-minute back-to-back speed writing exams on magistrates’ general knowledge”.
All 850 applicants sat the test, with most of them being put up in hotels overnight. Page, who would not have received any extra pay for the role, said: “I am not complaining that I didn’t get the job. I’m seeking a declaration that the method they used was inherently unfair and incapable of identifying the best candidates. The test was simple but there was not enough time to write the answers. The Treasury Solicitor told me they don’t consider anything but the test results.”
Page, who has been a part-time judge since 1999 and sat full-time since 2002, said: “I have 23 years’ relevant experience, but with this test they could get the least experienced people.” A JAC spokesman said: “We can’t comment on individual cases.”
A judge has launched legal action against the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) over its system for shortlisting potential judges.
The Chair of the Bar reports back
Susie Griffin on the admin that keeps barristers from billable work
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, explains how global events can influence the performance of pensions and ISAs, and why taking a long-term approach to investing is often the most effective strategy
Mário Barroso, Head of R&D and Method Development at AlphaBiolabs, discusses what family law professionals need to know about hallucinogens, from the main hallucinogenic drugs encountered in family proceedings, to their effects and the testing options available
Harmony Christian Ministries is the latest charity to benefit from a £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
By David Green
At the start of her term, Chair of the Bar 2026 Kirsty Brimelow KC set out a series of priorities for the year ahead. One of those priorities was children in the justice system
As the world becomes more digital, Barbara Vinagre Mota examines international research into the mental health consequences of judges’ exposure to graphic and immersive evidence, highlighting the importance of support systems
In an era of patient-centred care and growing concern over misconduct in medical settings, why do women still lack the right to choose women consultants for examination and treatment? Charles Davey investigates
Reviewed by Daniel Barnett
James McNeill Whistler at Tate Britain until 27 September Rothko in Florence at Palazzo Strozzi until 23 August Reviewed by Stephen Cragg KC
