Latest news

05 February 2010

Fee Paid Employment Judge, Employment Tribunal

The Judicial Appointments Commission is inviting applications for appointment as a fee paid Judge of the Employment Tribunal.

There are 51 positions available across England and Wales. Successful candidates will be expected to sit for a minimum of 30 days a year.

You will deal with disputes between employers and employees, including unfair dismissal, breach of contract, unlawful deductions and public interest disclosure.

You will be supported in the role by a comprehensive training programme, and benefit from a salaried Employment Judge as your mentor.

• Fee: £452 per day
• Reference: 00441
• Website: www.judicialappointments.gov.uk
• The closing date for applications is noon on 25 February 2010.

Example role-play film for candidates now online

From today you can see an online example of a role-play exercise of the type you might face during our selection exercises for some posts such as Recorder or Deputy District Judge.

Candidates who don't spend their working lives in court say it has helped to spend time watching or workshadowing a judge. This film is another tool to help demystify the process and help you to prepare.

The "candidate" in this example is played by an actor, in the role of a Recorder sitting at the fictitious Boltchester County Court in November 2008. Professional actors play the other main roles, as they will do in a real selection exercise.

To view the film, and for full details of how the role play is used as part of our assessment, visit our website using the link below.

• Website: www.judicialappointments.gov.uk

18 January 2010

Tribunal reforms continue with further transfers

Today heralds the start of the next chapter in the Tribunals Service’s ambitious programme of reform.

• View the full TS Press Notice (Adobe PDF file size 239kb)

Bridget Prentice opens new tribunal office

Justice Minister Bridget Prentice unveiled the new East London Tribunals Service hearing centre on Thursday 14 January.

• View the full TS Press Notice (Adobe PDF file size 234kb)

13 January 2010

Judicial Appointments Commission - exercise programme 2010-11

We are pleased to be able to announce we now have an agreed selection exercise programme for 2010-11. We appreciate your continued help and support in alerting your members and other interested parties to the judicial opportunities available. The full programme can be found on our website (details below), along with our popular vacancy alert system, which emails subscribers with important updates and details of when a particular selection exercise launches.

• Website: www.judicialappointments.gov.uk

As you know the selection exercise programme is agreed with the Ministry of Justice every year and comprises the essential selection exercises needed to fill judicial vacancies forecast by Her Majesty's Court Service, Tribunals Service and other tribunals. We work closely with MoJ, HMCS and the TS to respond to their emerging requirements during the year, recognising that some changes during the year are inevitable as forecasting can not be an exact science. There were several significant changes in-year this year and I expect next year will be the same so please do remember to check our website regularly for updates.

The programme for the remainder of 2009-10 is also on our website. The full list of forthcoming exercises is as follows:

Courts

• Senior Circuit Judge - one Chancery Specialist Judge; two Designated Civil Judges
• Expected to launch: January 2010
• Number of vacancies: 3

• Fee Paid Employment Judge, Employment Tribunal
• Expected to launch: February 2010
• Number of vacancies: 51

• High Court Judge
• Expected to launch: March 2010
• Number of vacancies: 12

• Circuit Judge
• Expected to launch: April 2010
• Number of vacancies: 45

• Senior Circuit Judge
• Expected to launch: November 2010
• Number of vacancies: 12

• District Judge (Civil)
• Expected to launch: January 2011
• Number of vacancies: 79

• Recorder
• Expected to launch: March 2011
• Number of vacancies: 156

• District Judge (Magistrates Courts)
• Expected to launch: July 2010
• Number of vacancies: 20

Tribunals

• Fee Paid Specialist Member of the First-tier Tribunal, Health, Education and Social Care Chamber (Special Educational Needs and Disability)
• Expected to launch: April 2010
• Number of vacancies: 30

• Chamber President of the Immigration and Asylum, Tax, and General Regulatory Chambers of the First-tier Tribunal
• Expected to Launch: May 2010
• Number of vacancies: 3

• Regional Employment Judge of the Employment Tribunals
• Expected to launch: July 2010
• Number of vacancies: 2

• Fee Paid Immigration Judge of the First-tier Tribunal, Immigration and Asylum Chamber
• Expected to launch: September 2010
• Number of vacancies: 50

• Lawyer Chairman of the Residential Property Tribunal Service
• Expected to launch: September 2010
• Number of vacancies: 39

• Fee Paid Judge of the First-tier Tribunal, Social Entitlement Chamber
• Expected to launch: November 2010
• Number of vacancies: 28

• Salaried/Deputy Judges of the Upper Tribunal, Immigration and Asylum Chamber
• Expected to launch: January 2011
• Number of vacancies: 4

• Salaried Judge of the First-tier Tribunal, Social Entitlement Chamber
• Expected to launch: March 2011
• Number of vacancies: 12

11 January 2010

Tribunals Service, Key Performance Indicator for Customer Satisfaction: announcement on satisfaction target for 2009-10

Changes to the methodology used for measuring customer satisfaction in the Tribunals Service were announced on 11 December 2009.

The target for customer satisfaction for 2009-10 has also been examined to ensure that it is achievable, yet stretching and takes account of the increased workloads of the Tribunals Service. Using the new methodology, the target for 2009-10 will remain at 72%, which is realistic and challenges the Tribunals Service to maintain current performance in a climate of increasing workloads.

07 January 2010

Vacancies: Salaried Immigration Judges

If you have been a solicitor, barrister, advocate or Fellow of ILEX for at least five years, or you have other appropriate experience in asylum and immigration matters, you could be eligible to become a salaried Immigration Judge.

The Judicial Appointments Commission is looking for up to 21 new Judges to join the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal at a variety of locations across England and Wales.

Either presiding alone or sitting on a panel with fellow Judges and non-legal members, you will prepare for and hear appeals against decisions made by the Home Secretary and his officials in asylum, immigration and nationality matters. The posts will require a high level of skill and experience in dealing with cases of legal and factual complexity while ensuring high standards of case management. In addition you will also be expected to promote a collegiate environment across the tribunal.

Salaried part-time working is available. See the information pack for details of possible working arrangements.

• Number of Vacancies: up to 21
• Locations: throughout England and Wales
• Salary: £102,921 (plus £4,000 London allowance)
• Reference: 00459
• Website: www.judicialappointments.gov.uk

Applications close: noon on 28 January 2010

11 December 2009

2008-09 Customer Satisfaction survey pre-announcement note of the full publication of 2008-09 results and changes to the methodology for 2009-10

The Tribunals Service Customer Satisfaction Survey was first introduced as a pilot between October and December 2007, interviewing those people who had attended a hearing. The aim of the survey was to provide some information on the quality of our administrative service they received and for them to provide details of their expectations.

• View the full publication (Adobe PDF file size 17kb)

Tribunals Service Customer Satisfaction Survey

To allow us to gauge and monitor levels of customer satisfaction with the administration of Tribunal cases, FDS International Ltd have been contracted to conduct a Customer Satisfaction Survey on behalf of the Tribunals Service. The results of the survey will be important in informing and shaping the development of our policies and indeed the organisation.

The survey will focus on the administration of cases, not the outcome of their case nor the decision of the judiciary. The survey, which began in 2007, will be carried out at intervals until April 2010. The results will, in the first instance, allow us to develop a Key Performance Indicator for customer satisfaction and thereafter monitor performance against that indicator.

Customers who are contacted by FDS about this survey should be assured that under the Data Protection Act 1998, the Tribunals Service has put in place an agreement with FDS which allows them to process our data and write to customers on our behalf.

Eileen Grady, Customer Insight Manager, acts for the Tribunals Service in the management of this survey.

03 December 2009

Vacancy – Taxing Masters of the Senior Courts (known as Costs Judges)
[Application stage closed 7 January 2010]

The Judicial Appointments Commission is inviting applications from legally qualified candidates suitable for appointment as a Taxing Master of the Senior Courts, also known as a Costs Judge. In this role, based in Central London, you will be responsible for assessing legal costs between the parties and between solicitor and client in order to determine a fair valuation for the services rendered. You will also be required to decide upon complex points of law and principle in relation to costs.

• Number of Vacancies: 2
• Locations: Central London (EC4)
• Salary: £102,921 (plus £4,000 London allowance)
• Reference: 00449
• Website: www.judicialappointments.gov.uk

Application deadline: Noon, 7 January 2010.