The Selection Process
NIJAC will appoint applicants who best demonstrate the skills, attributes, behaviours and aspects of effectiveness detailed in the Person Specification.
The Selection Process consists of the following stages:
Description of Stages
1. Making an Application
You will be asked to:
Provide your personal and contact details.
Confirm your career and personal history.
Complete an application for the ACD you wish to apply to: South Eastern, North Eastern or Western.
Complete a Statement of Suitability (up to 1,200 words) explaining how you meet a selection of the criteria, using real life examples.
Respond to character‑related questions (NIJAC must be satisfied that your integrity, conduct and character meet the standards required for judicial office).
- Indicate any reasonable adjustments you require for the assessment process due to a disability. For further details in respect of Reasonable Adjustments please read our policy: Reasonable Adjustments Policy and Procedure (Approved August 2024) | Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission. NIJAC welcomes applications from people with a disability and people without a disability. NIJAC will work with applicants to deliver effective adjustments to ensure their equal participation in our application, assessment and selection processes.
Complete an Equality Monitoring Return which supports NIJAC’s statutory duties.
2. Eligibility and Character Sift
- An administrative check will assess your declarations against the statutory Eligibility Criteria and the character requirements. NIJAC may request further information if clarification is needed.
3. Situational Judgement Test (SJT)
- All eligible applicants will be required to complete an online Situational Judgement Test. Check back soon for a link to an example of the test.
- The top 400 applicants from this stage will proceed to have their Statement of Suitability assessed to validate their SJT outcome.
4. Validation of SJT through Statement of Suitability Assessment
- Panels of two assessors will independently score each Statement of Suitability before agreeing whether the applicant has met the required threshold. Panels then moderate collectively to ensure consistency.
5. Allocation to ACDs
- Applicants will be separated into three pools based on their chosen ACD.
- Within each ACD, those who have met the required threshold will be merit‑listed based on their SJT score. This determines who progresses to interview.
6. Competence based Interview (including Situational Judgement Exercise)
- Online interviews will be conducted for all applicants proceeding to this stage.
- Multiple interview panels will operate within each ACD.
- Panels will collectively moderate outcomes to ensure consistent assessment.
- Interviews will take place in this order: South‑Eastern ACD, North‑Eastern ACD and Western ACD. This order reflects the NI Courts and Tribunals Service’s appointment priorities.
7. Pre-Appointment Checks
Applicants deemed appointable after interview will undergo pre-appointment checks, including:
Examination of Character declarations;
An Enhanced Level Criminal Record Check with Access NI;
Enforcements of Judgments Office checks;
An examination of any Conflicts of Interests and/or Interests declared; and
Any other checks deemed necessary.
8. Notification
Applicants will be notified by email after each stage of the process, normally within 10 days of decisions being made.
Timeline
This timeline is an estimated outline and the dates may be subject to change. Where possible NIJAC will notify all those concerned with regard to any changes as early as possible.
Scheme Advertising
Thursday 4 June 2026
Opening of Competition to Applications
Tuesday 9 - Tuesday 23 June 2026
Live Events across Northern Ireland
Thursday 18 June 2026
Live Instagram Q&A
Tuesday 7 July 2026
Closing of Competition to Applications
The Selection Process
Wednesday 15 July to Friday 4 September 2026
Sifting of Applications (Eligibility & Character)
Wednesday 16 September 2026
Online Assessment Test
Wednesday 23 September to Wednesday 21 October 2026
Sift of Statement of Suitability
Monday 23 November to Friday 11 December 2026
Interviews (South-Eastern ACD)
Monday 11 January to Friday 22 January 2027
Interviews (North-Eastern ACD)
Monday 1 February to Friday 12 February 2027
Interviews (Western ACD)
Monday 14 December 2026 to Monday 15 March 2027
Pre-Appointment Checks will take place in three phases following each set of interviews