How the JAC qualifying test usually works: situational judgement and critical analysis, 50 minutes each, how the JAC scores them, the AI rule, current dates and free practice.

JAC Qualifying Test 2026: Format, Timing, Scoring, Free Practice Questions

What the JAC sends you at least a week before the critical analysis test, what past texts and questions looked like, a day-by-day reading plan and two worked questions on our own extract.

JAC Critical Analysis Test: Using the Pre-Reading Week

How the JAC marks the most and least appropriate answers, the skills each choice is judged against, its reports on easier and harder topics, and the assumptions to check before you answer.

JAC Situational Judgement Test: How Most/Least Is Judged

The 24 November 2026 Deputy District Judge qualifying test: both parts, the timeline to selection day, what the 2023 test showed (2,267 sat it, 811 went on), and a 7-day plan for the week before.

Deputy District Judge Qualifying Test 2026: What to Expect

JAC Qualifying Test (Judicial Appointments Commission)

The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) selects candidates for judicial office in courts and tribunals in England and Wales. For larger exercises, such as Deputy District Judge, Recorder and fee-paid tribunal judge roles, it shortlists with an online qualifying test. The qualifying test is multiple choice and usually has two parts. In the situational judgement test, candidates read situations like those they might face in the role and choose the most appropriate and the least appropriate of five possible actions, with one mark for each correct choice; it assesses Communication Skills, Personal Qualities and Effective Working, and does not test legal rules or procedures. In the critical analysis test, candidates answer questions on a written document, such as a speech or a judgment, each with four options and one correct answer; it assesses Legal Skills and Dealing with Information. Each part lasts 50 minutes and is submitted automatically when time runs out. Candidates choose which part to take first, and must start after 7am and finish before 9pm on the test day. Candidates need at least 30% in both parts. The JAC then converts each score into a standard score, combines them with 60% weight on situational judgement and 40% on critical analysis, ranks candidates, and sets a cut-off by the number of places at the next stage. The JAC offers a free practice tool, and it does not allow the use of artificial intelligence in any qualifying test. ProSyllabus is an independent practice provider, not affiliated with the Judicial Appointments Commission.

JAC qualifying test practice: three mocks, timed

Timed practice for the JAC qualifying test: situational judgement (most and least appropriate) and critical analysis, 50 minutes each, with reasons for every answer. 3 questions free.

Timed practice for the JAC qualifying test: three mocks, each with a situational judgement part (20 questions in Mock 1, 19 in Mock 2, 20 in Mock 3; choose the most and the least appropriate action) and a critical analysis part on an invented text (20 questions each), 50 minutes a part in Mocks 1 and 2 and 40 minutes a part in Mock 3, marked with our own answer keys on the scheme the JAC practice tool page describes, with the reason for every answer and your marks grouped by our reading of the JAC skill areas. Not affiliated with the Judicial Appointments Commission; not the official test.

JAC Qualifying Test Practice

US, UK & international professional

JAC Qualifying Test (Judicial Appointments Commission) — Discussion

JAC Qualifying Test (Judicial Appointments Commission) — Group Discussion