Appointment Process
Understanding the Recommendation and Appointment Process
The JABS recommendation process has been developed and refined over many years and continues to evolve. Regular review and improvement help ensure that the process remains fair, transparent and effective.
This section explains how the recommendation process works and what JABS looks for when assessing applications. Whether you are applying for the first time or have applied before, it is designed to help you better understand the process and prepare a strong application.
There are two distinct stages in the overall appointment process: the recommendation stage and the appointment stage.
JABS is responsible for assessing applicants and making recommendations to the Scottish Government. Appointments are then made either by The King, in the case of court roles, or by the Scottish Ministers, in the case of tribunal roles.
This section focuses primarily on the recommendation stage, while also providing an overview of how recommendations are converted into appointments.
How the Process Begins
The recommendation process starts when the Judicial Office for Scotland identifies a need for the recruitment of judicial office holders.
Once the need has been identified, Judicial Office makes a request to the Scottish Government.
The Scottish Government then considers the request and undertakes any necessary discussions. If approval is granted, an official request is issued to JABS setting out the details of the recruitment exercise.
Following receipt of the official request, JABS will then start the competition.
After the Recommendations
Once the competition has been run and recommendations have been made to the Scottish Government, JABS part in the process is complete, but work still needs to be done to turn those recommendations into appointments.
For court roles, the Scottish Government has to consult with the Lord President on the candidates being recommended. Once this consultation process has completed, the Scottish Government, in the shape of the First Minister will make recommendations to The King. Once approved, The King signs the Royal Warrant, it is at this stage that the candidates are considered to have been appointed to whichever office the recruitment related to.
For tribunal roles, the Scottish Government makes recommendations to the Scottish Ministers. Once those recommendations are accepted, the relevant Minister will then issue letters of appointment, at which point the candidate is considered appointed to the tribunal in question.