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JAC qualifying test practice
The JAC qualifying test usually has two parts, with a standard 50 minutes for each.
More about this test
In situational judgement you choose the most and the least appropriate of five actions a judge might take. In critical analysis you answer questions on a written document such as a speech or a judgment. You get three mocks, each with both parts: original judicial situations (20 in Mock 1, 19 in Mock 2, 20 in Mock 3) and 20 questions on an invented text in each (a judgment, a speech, then an appeal judgment). Mocks 1 and 2 give you the standard 50 minutes a part; Mock 3 runs at 40 minutes a part, the time the JAC's report on the 2023 Deputy District Judge test describes. Each part has its own clock that submits at zero, and you choose which to sit first. Every answer comes with its reason, and your result groups your marks by our reading of the JAC skill areas. Start with 3 situational judgement questions free, available once.
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Three mocks, each in two timed parts
Mock 1 · Situational judgement: 20 questions, 50 minutes · Mock 1 · Critical analysis: 20 questions, 50 minutes · Mock 2 · Situational judgement: 19 questions, 50 minutes · Mock 2 · Critical analysis: 20 questions, 50 minutes · Mock 3 · Situational judgement: 20 questions, 40 minutes · Mock 3 · Critical analysis: 20 questions, 40 minutes
Sit the parts in any order; in the real test you choose which part to take first. Situational judgement: for each situation, choose a most appropriate and a least appropriate action; one mark for each correct choice, up to two a question. Critical analysis: the text opens beside every question; one mark for each correct answer. Other answers get no marks. This is the marking scheme the JAC practice tool page describes; the answer keys are our own.
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Full tests 6 tests
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- Three situational judgement parts (20, 19 and 20 questions), most and least
- Three invented texts (two judgments and a speech), 20 critical analysis questions each
- 50 minutes a part in Mocks 1 and 2, 40 in Mock 3; any order
- Marked on the JAC practice tool scheme, with our own keys
- Reasons and marks by skill area
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Every test: instant score, answer review and a breakdown of topics to work on
Mock 1 · Situational judgement
Included in the full set
Mock 1 · Critical analysis
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Mock 2 · Situational judgement
Included in the full set
Mock 2 · Critical analysis
Included in the full set
Mock 3 · Situational judgement
Included in the full set
Mock 3 · Critical analysis
Included in the full set
The JAC qualifying test, from the JAC pages
- Usually two parts: a situational judgement test and a critical analysis test, both multiple choice. For non-legal exercises the test usually includes only situational judgement.
- Time: 50 minutes for each part (any agreed extra time shows in the timer), then your answers are submitted automatically. You choose which part to take first, and you must start after 7am and finish before 9pm on the test day.
- Situational judgement: situations like those you might face in the role, five possible actions each; you choose the most and the least appropriate, with one mark for each correct choice. It assesses at least Communication Skills, Personal Qualities and Effective Working, and does not test legal rules or procedures.
- Critical analysis: a written document such as a speech or a judgment, sent to you before the test day, then questions with four options and one correct answer. It assesses at least Legal Skills and Dealing with Information.
- Scoring: you need at least 30% in both parts. The JAC then turns each mark into a standard score and ranks candidates by a composite score, 60% situational judgement and 40% critical analysis. A cut-off is set by the places at the next stage; the JAC says it has no pre-determined pass mark.
- AI: the JAC says you must not use AI in any qualifying test, selection day or other live assessment, and you must not enter any selection material into an AI tool.
Checked on 10 November 2026 on the JAC pages Qualifying test, About online tests, Scoring the online test, Practice qualifying test tool and Using artificial intelligence.
Before you buy
What do I get?
Three mocks, each in two timed parts: original situational judgement questions (20 in Mock 1, 19 in Mock 2, 20 in Mock 3), each with five actions to judge for most and least appropriate, and 20 critical analysis questions in each mock on an invented text (a judgment in Mock 1, a speech in Mock 2, an appeal judgment in Mock 3). That is 119 questions in all. Mocks 1 and 2 have 50 minutes a part; Mock 3 has 40 minutes a part, the pace of the 2023 Deputy District Judge test. Each part's clock submits automatically at zero, and you choose the order. Every answer comes with its reason, and your result shows your marks grouped by our reading of the JAC skill areas, your time on each question and the Guru report. Resit any part as often as you like.
How many questions are in the real test?
The JAC qualifying test page does not give a number. The JAC evaluation reports for the 2026 Recorder exercise and the 2025 fee-paid Immigration and Asylum Chamber exercise both describe 20 situational judgement questions and 20 critical analysis questions, 50 minutes each. Your own exercise instructions from the JAC are the final word. The JAC's report on the 2023 Deputy District Judge test describes 20 questions a part in 40 minutes each. Our parts have 20 questions, except Mock 2 situational judgement, which has 19; Mocks 1 and 2 run at 50 minutes a part and Mock 3 at 40.
How is it marked?
With our own answer keys, on the scheme the JAC practice tool page describes: in situational judgement one mark for a correct most appropriate choice and one for a correct least appropriate choice; in critical analysis one mark for each correct answer; other answers get no marks. Your result gives marks and a percentage on our questions. The JAC ranks real candidates by a composite of standard scores; your result here is practice feedback, not a prediction of your JAC outcome.
Should I still use the JAC practice tool?
Yes. The JAC offers a practice tool with five situational judgement and five critical analysis questions, 10 minutes for each section, to help you get used to its software, format and question style. Use it. Use ours for a timed sitting of both parts, with reasons for every answer.
What does the JAC say about AI?
Its guidance says you must not use AI in any qualifying test, selection day or other live assessment, and you must not enter any selection material into an AI tool. Breaching the policy is treated as an integrity issue and may lead to disqualification. Our advice: do your practice before the test day.
How do I pay and get access?
One payment, handled by our payment provider, in your local currency where we can. Access opens on this device straight after payment. Sign in afterwards to keep it on your account. Access does not expire.
Independent practice. Not affiliated with the Judicial Appointments Commission. Every situation, text and question here is our own, written for practice: none is taken from or rebuilt from a JAC test. Our answer keys and reasons are our own judgement. Purchase policy.
Disclaimer
Are these real JAC questions? No. They are independent practice questions, not JAC questions. The situations and the judgment are our own, written to the JAC description of the format, and the answer keys and reasons are our own judgement. The JAC has not written or endorsed them.