Judges and Hearing Officers

Career summary

Judges and hearing officers conduct trials and hearings. They decide who wins a case when it is not a jury trial. This may mean choosing between two people who disagree, or deciding if a person committed a crime. They handle everything from minor traffic cases up to major questions, such as the right to die.

There are several levels of judges and hearing officers, including:

• Magistrate judges
• Magistrates
• Trial court judges
• Appellate court judges
• Administrative law judges
• Adjudicators

Judges work at the city, county, and state levels. Some judges work at the national level, where they decide issues that affect the entire nation.

Judges and hearing officers hold pretrial hearings and listen to the charges and the evidence against the person charged with the crime. They decide if the case merits going to trial.

During trials judges listen to what lawyers say and decide what evidence can be used. They often settle disagreements between lawyers. They set procedures on how to best deal with situations. Some trials use juries to decide cases. Judges explain relevant laws to juries before juries make their decisions about cases. They instruct juries how to evaluate the information given. When juries find people guilty, judges usually decide the sentence.

Hearing officers handle administrative cases. They are also called adjudicators. They make decisions on cases related to government agencies. For example, they deal with cases regarding social security or environmental protection. Hearing officers may send out subpoenas. They interview people filing claims against an agency. They decide if and what type of payment should be made to claimants. They explain how to appeal the court's decision when a judgment goes against claimants.

Judges and hearing officers also work outside the courtroom. They read papers or laws about cases. They write papers summarizing their opinions when cases are decided. They also meet with lawyers and supervise the clerical staff. In some states judges are authorized to perform marriages.

Related careers

This career is part of the Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Arbitrators and Mediators
• College and University Administrators
• Compliance Officers and Inspectors
• Law Clerks
• Lawyers
• Political Scientists
• Probation Officers
• University and College Teachers

Military careers

• Lawyers and Judges

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to judges and hearing officers.

• Preside over trials and hearings.
• Conduct pretrial hearings to determine whether there is enough evidence to hold a trial.
• Listen to both parties.
• Review evidence. Evaluate if it is valid or supports the case.
• Use laws to rule on whether to accept evidence.
• Research cases and what laws apply to them.
• Establish court procedures that may not have been already set by law or a superior court.
• Instruct juries about laws and how to evaluate evidence.
• Sentence defendants when they are convicted by juries.
• Award settlements to claimants when cases are decided in their favor.
• Write opinions and decisions.
• Notify claimants of denied claims and how they may appeal decisions.
• Question people filing claims against agencies to get further information.
• May perform wedding ceremonies.
• Manage court workers who issue subpoenas and administer oaths.

Common work activities

Judges and hearing officers perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Get information needed to do the job
• Evaluate information against standards
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Perform for or work with the public
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Analyze data or information
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people
• Process information
• Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others
• Use computers
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Communicate with people outside the organization
• Document and record information
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Think creatively
• Perform administrative tasks
• Schedule work and activities

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, judges and hearing officers:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a high level of contact with lawyers, plaintiffs, and court workers. Judges who only review court briefs to make decisions have less contact with others.
• Communicate by telephone, e-mail, letters, memos, and in person on a daily basis. They may on occasion speak in front of groups.
• Are often placed in conflict situations where people might be angry or unpleasant.
• Are responsible for the work done by clerks and assistants.
• Occasionally must face individuals who get physically violent.
• Are somewhat responsible for the health and safety of others.

Physical work conditions

• Always work indoors.
• Usually wear a robe when they are in a courtroom. Some judges, such as adjudicators or hearing officers, rarely wear robes.

Work performance

• Make decisions on a daily basis that greatly impact plaintiffs and defendants. Due to the nature of their job, they don't consult another before deciding a course of action.
• Must be very exact in performing the job. Errors could seriously affect the participants. For example, accepting a piece of evidence that was not valid could swing the decision of a jury.
• Set nearly all their daily tasks and goals without consulting a supervisor first.
• May repeat the same mental tasks.
• Must meet strict weekly and daily deadlines.

Hours/travel

• Usually work at least 40 hours per week.
• Generally work a set schedule.

Physical demands

Judges and hearing officers frequently:

• Sit for long periods of time.
• Repeat the same movements.

It is important for judges and hearing officers to be able to:

• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• Understand the speech of another person.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for judges and hearing officers to be able to:

• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.

Skills and abilities

Judges and hearing officers need to:

Communicate

• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Understand spoken information.
• Read and understand work-related materials.
• Understand written information.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.

Reason and problem solve

• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Recognize the nature of a problem.
• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.
• Manage the time of self and others.

Work with people

• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Solve problems by bringing others together to discuss differences.
• Teach others how to do something.
• Persuade others to approach things differently.
• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Law

Other programs of study to consider

• Criminal Justice
• International Relations
• Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
• Political Science and Government
• Pre-Law
• Public Administration
• Public Policy Studies

Training

To work as a judge or hearing officer, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent;
• have a bachelor's degree;
• complete a law degree;
• have five years or more of experience as a lawyer; and
• complete short-term, on-the-job training.

Education after high school

Judges and hearing officers usually need a law degree. Many colleges and universities offer professional degrees in law. To apply to law school, you must have a bachelor's degree. However, a few law schools accept students who have completed only three years of college.

Together, college and law school usually take seven years of full-time study. This includes four years of undergraduate study followed by three years of law school. Law school graduates receive a juris doctor (JD) degree.

Your bachelor's degree does not have to be in a specific area for you to apply to law school. You should consider a well-rounded course of study, such as liberal arts.

Work experience

Most judges have many years of work experience as lawyers. In fact, all federal judges and most state judges must be experienced lawyers.

You may not need to be a lawyer to be a hearing officer. However, you usually need experience working with administrative law and rules.

On-the-job training

All states offer some type of orientation for new judges. Many professional organizations, such as the American Bar Association, also offer training for judges. Most states require judges to attend continuing education courses while they serve on the bench.

Military training

The military does not provide initial training for judges or lawyers. You must have your law degree to enter this military occupation. Training lasts eight to 12 weeks.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum  may be different from your state's graduation requirements .

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Business Law
• Computer Applications
• Law Studies
• Legal System

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups  that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Federal and state judges must be licensed lawyers. However, about 40 states allow people who are not lawyers to hold limited jurisdiction judgeships. This means they may be responsible for one small area of the law. However, opportunities are better for those with a law degree.

Federal administrative law judges must be lawyers. They also must pass an exam given by the US Office of Personnel Management. Not all state and administrative law judges and other hearing officials need to be lawyers. However, a law degree is preferred for most positions.

Federal judges are appointed for life by the President of the United States. They are then confirmed into the position by the Senate. Federal administrative law judges are appointed by federal agencies. These positions are for life. Some state judges are appointed; others are elected. An elected judge may be in office from four to six years. Some trial judgeships may last as long as 14 years. Other trial and appellate court judge positions may be for life. There are nominating commissions that propose a judge be listed on a ballot for an area. These commissions are made up of people from the American Bar Association and the general public.

Costs to workers

Judges must also be lawyers and join the Washington State Bar Association and pay annual dues. Some workers may wish to join other professional associations, which also may have annual dues.

Licensing/certification

In Washington, judges must be lawyers. Lawyers are licensed by the State Supreme Court through the Washington State Bar Association. Applicants must pass the Washington State Bar Exam after graduating from an approved law school.

For more information, contact:

Washington State Bar Association 
1325 Fourth Avenue, Suite 600
Seattle, WA 98101-2539
800.945.WSBA
206.443.WSBA

#Licensing info ok 4/16/18 cj.

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers 
• Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators 
• Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

Wages for judges and hearing officers vary widely. Those who work for the federal government tend to earn more than those in state or local governments. Judges in the higher courts, such as state supreme courts, tend to earn more than in lower courts.

Most full-time judges receive benefits. These benefits may include health insurance, sick leave, paid vacation, and a retirement plan. 

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Major employers:

• Federal, state, and local government courts

National outlook

This occupation will experience slower than average growth. The number of judges is expected to remain steady at all levels of the government. Local budgets limit the growth of the number of judges.

Competition for jobs will be very competitive. Many people are trained and seek to become judges. Most openings occur as people retire.

Other resources

Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences 

American Bar Association 
321 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60654
312.988.5000

American Judges Association 
300 Newport Avenue
Williamsburg, VA 23185
757.259.1841

American Society of Criminology 
1314 Kinnear Road, Suite 212
Columbus, OH 43212
614.292.9207

US Department of Justice 

Washington State Law Library 
360.357.2136

References

Career cluster

• Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security

Career path

• Enterprising (Business Communications)

O*Net  occupations

• Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers (23-1021.00) 
• Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates (23-1023.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 5 - Extensive preparation needed. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience.

DOT occupations

• Adjudicator (119.167-010) 
• Appeals Referee (119.267-014) 
• Appeals Reviewer, Veteran (119.117-010) 
• Arbitrator (169.107-010) 
• Claims Adjudicator (169.267-010) 
• Conciliator (169.207-010) 
• Hearing Officer (119.107-010) 
• Judge (111.107-010) 
• Magistrate (111.107-014) 

Holland occupational clusters

• Enterprising/Investigative/Social
• Enterprising/Social/Conventional

COPSystem

• Communication