ABSTRACT
The Supreme Court of India said that a person must work as a lawyer for at least 3 years before joining the judiciary. The court said this rule is needed so that only experienced people become judges. It cancelled a 2014 rule made by the state of Haryana that allowed law graduates to directly apply for civil judge posts. The court said that being a judge is a big job, and freshers may not be ready for it.
INTRODUCTION
On May 17, 2025, the Supreme Court of India gave a big decision. It said that if someone wants to become a civil judge, they must have worked as a lawyer for minimum 3 years. This decision was in response to a case that questioned the Haryana state law which allowed fresh law graduates to directly become judges. The court said that such a thing is not right.
KEYWORDS
Supreme Court, judicial service, 3-year practice, Haryana rules, civil judge, legal experience
MAIN BODY
The court said that judges need real-life experience in courts. Just studying law is not enough. The Haryana law in 2014 removed the 3-year requirement, which allowed people with zero experience to become judges. The Supreme Court said this was a bad idea.
The judgment was given by a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Dipankar Datta. They said that if a person does not know how courts work or how to deal with clients, they will not be able to give justice properly.
The court also said that earlier in 2002, the same rule of 3 years was introduced in the Advocates Act. That rule is still good and needed.
The bench said that states cannot just remove this rule if they feel like it. The 3-year experience helps young lawyers to understand court procedures, client problems, and how to argue a case. These skills are very important for judges.
This decision is now final and applies to all states. So from now on, anyone who wants to be a judge must first work as a lawyer for 3 years.
CONCLUSION
The Supreme Court’s decision is a reminder that judges must know real legal practice, not just theory. Allowing freshers to be judges may sound good, but in truth, it harms the justice system. This ruling makes sure that only trained and experienced lawyers can become judges, which is good for the people and the courts.
“PRIME LEGAL is a full-service law firm that has won a National Award and has more than 20 years of experience in an array of sectors and practice areas. Prime legal falls into the category of best law firm, best lawyer, best family lawyer, best divorce lawyer, best divorce law firm, best criminal lawyer, best criminal law firm, best consumer lawyer, best civil lawyer.”
WRITTEN BY PRIYANKA DESHIKAN.
