The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) – Recorder Application Seminar

Recorder Application Seminar

The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) will be launching a selection exercise in early 2022. This exercise will aim to recruit fee-paid Recorders.

The seminar

This seminar is organised on behalf of the Judicial Diversity Committee to assist implementation of the Judicial Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (link opens in new tab).

The seminar will take place online via Microsoft Teams on Thursday 9 December at 5pm – 6pm for those interested in applying for appointment as a fee-paid Recorder.

The seminar aims to help applicants be better prepared to make an application and to receive up-to-date guidance and advice on the JAC’s selection process. You will hear from Lady Justice Carr, a Recorder and a representative from the JAC.

Who should attend?

The competition will be open to candidates who do not have previous judicial experience.

Five years’ legal post qualification experience is needed.

Overview of the role

The statutory jurisdiction of a Recorder is similar to that of a Circuit Judge. Recorders are required to read and assimilate case papers before a hearing or trial commences and play an active role in case management. Recorders control the manner in which cases are conducted and decide issues of law and procedure that may arise during a case and provide reasons for any ruling.

The main activities of a Recorder are as follows:

  • Preparing for Trial and Case Management in the Crown Court, County Courts and Family Court
  • Presiding over Court Hearings
  • Deciding Appeals
  • Other Duties include, for example:
  • Determining any necessary paper applications
  • When your own Court schedule permits, assisting other Judges with hearings and paper applications.
  • Assessing costs and reviewing detailed assessments.

Location and jurisdiction 

Recorders are appointed nationally; they are assigned by the Lord Chief Justice to a Circuit within England and Wales.

Candidates for posts in Wales need to have an understanding, or the ability to acquire the understanding of the administration of justice in Wales, including legislation applicable to Wales only and where there is increasing divergence from certain legislation in England, for example in housing law.

It may be helpful for those interested in becoming Recorders to know the deployment principles that recommendations are based on:

    • The merit order of candidates
    • The breakdown of requirements provided by HMCTS
    • The ranked location preferences provided by the candidates
    • The candidates’ home addresses

Therefore, unless there are exceptional circumstances, the most meritorious candidates will be given their first preference for jurisdiction and location until the HMCTS requirements have been met. Candidates should consider Jurisdiction and Location careful when ranking Location or Jurisdiction when they apply.

In some circumstances an offer of appointment may be made to a Location and/or Jurisdiction that a candidate has not ranked on application due to all HMCTS requirements already being met on their preferred location or jurisdiction

Seminar

Please register interest at: Recorder Application Seminar (external link, opens in new tab)

If you have any queries regarding the seminar or would like to ask a question to the panel then please email: JudicialHRDiversityEvents@judiciary.uk