USA Career Guide- Judges, Mediators, and Hearing Officers
Education needed to be Judges, Mediators, and Hearing Officers
The minimum requirement to become a judge or magistrate is a bachelor’s degree in law or criminal justice in addition to a significant amount of work experience. It is not necessary to be a lawyer, though most judges were lawyers first. Federal and State judges are usually required to hold a law degree. Administrative judges must hold a law degree and pass a rigorous exam given by 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.
Additionally, most judges and magistrates must be either 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 years to 14 years.
Work Experience
Most judges, mediators, and hearing officers get their skills through years of experience as practicing lawyers. About 40 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, National Judicial College, and 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.
Training for arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators is available through independent mediation programs, national and local mediation membership organizations, and post secondary schools.
Licenses
Judges who are lawyers already hold a license. Federal administrative law judges must be licensed to practice law.
For mediators, arbitrators, and conciliators, no national license exists. State requirements vary widely. Some states require arbitrators to be experienced lawyers.
Pay of Judges, Mediators, and Hearing Officers
As of May 2010 the median annual wage of judges, mediators and hearing officers was $91,880. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $35,400, and the top 10 percent earned more than $164,510.
The median wages for judges, mediators, and hearing officer occupations in May 2010 were the following:
$119,270 for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
$85,500 for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
$55,800 for arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition
Job Prospects Judges, Mediators, and Hearing Officers
Employment of judges, mediators, and hearing officers is expected to grow by 7 percent from 2010 to 2020, slower than the average for all occupations. Becoming a judge or similar arbitrator is difficult. Growth is slower than most occupations and turnover is low. Having a clear knowledge of a judge's duties will help aspirants properly train and educate themselves, providing a leg up on the competition.
Industrial Overview of Judges, Mediators, and Hearing Officers
Judges, mediators, and hearing officers held about 62,700 jobs in 2010, and most were employed by local, state, and federal governments. Some arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators work for state and local governments.
Employment of judges, mediators, and hearing officers industry wise(2010)State government, excluding education and hospitals 36%
Local government, excluding education and hospitals 28%
Federal government, excluding postal service 7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 3%
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition |
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