One of the available careers is that of a civil judge, who is charged with rendering important judgments in the court. The Civil Judge is in charge of rendering the final decision and has the highest authority in the court. Outside of the courtroom, there are additional duties including researching laws, among others.
A candidate’s legal education must be complete to be considered for the position of Civil Judge. One can enroll in a variety of Undergraduate and Graduate Law Programs, including LLB, LLM, PG Diploma in Law, BA LLB, and other pertinent Programs, from any Accredited University. Between INR 10,000 and INR 7,00,000 is the typical range of costs for legal education.
There are two stages to working in the judiciary. First, there is the lower judicial service, which is for recent graduates who are chosen after taking an entrance exam held by the appropriate State Public Service Commission (UP, MP, Rajasthan, etc.) or the high courts (Delhi). This guarantees tenure security and promotions that are subject to deadlines. Higher Judicial Services is the next tier for lawyers who are in practice. The chosen candidates are appointed as Additional District Judges, which speeds up their promotion.
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Candidates for the position of Civil Judge (junior division) are granted the authority of a Judicial Magistrate (Second Class), and those promoted to the position of Chief Judicial Magistrate are granted the authority of a Judicial Magistrate. Candidates appointed to the positions of Additional District Judge and Session Judge are posted to the High Court and, in exceptional circumstances, to the Supreme Court. Those who want to serve the public with high social standing should consider careers in the judiciary. With a generous benefits package, it offers a stable and safe career.
Powers of District Judge
Civil Judges, also known as Judicial Magistrates or District Munsifs, render judgment in both civil and criminal cases. The District Judge, who holds the highest position in the Subordinate Judiciary, is distinct from them. An example of a Civil Judge’s roles and responsibilities is:
- A civil judge documents the witness’s testimony (of both parties).
- A Civil Judge keeps a record of the accusations made by the parties that are suing and being sued.
- A civil judge renders judgments based on the testimony and evidence presented.
- The defendants’ guilt or innocence is decided by a civil judge.
- The jury is instructed by a civil judge, who also decides on the guilty party’s sentence.
Read More: Civil Judge Eligibility Criteria
Benefits and Perks of Being a Civil Judge
Reputable Government employment
The field of judicial services is quite renowned and well-respected. Even in today’s share-and-fire culture, it gives you all the benefits and privileges of a state government official while also providing job security.
Freedom from Office
The independence of the position is appealing to a civil judge. This suggests that a judicial officer is a master of their Court and maintains independence in its operation while still being subject to the administrative and supervisory oversight of the upper Judiciary.
Attractive pay
One of the highest-paid government positions is in the judiciary, where the pay is even higher than that of IAS and IPS officers. State by state varies the compensation for civil judges. However, taking into account factors like the state, educational background, and other factors, a newly hired judicial officer typically receives an in-hand salary between 60,000 and 80,000 per month. However, these numbers are anticipated to rise exponentially once the second Judicial Pay Commission’s recommendations are put into effect.
Life Insurance and Other Benefits
Any judicial official is entitled to several benefits and allowances in addition to their excellent compensation, including a government apartment, a driver, coverage for telephone and power costs, a travel allowance, health, and life insurance, etc. This means that using the services of a judge will gain you a respectable financial return in addition to numerous other non-financial advantages. As a result, a judicial officer has a far better quality of life than anyone else who makes a comparable income via self-employment or a private job.
Legal Training
A Civil Judge at the entry-level goes through a difficult 11–12 month training program under the supervision of the Judicial Academy after being chosen for the services through a demanding three-stage process. The group of new appointees spent this time attending lectures and seminars by eminent lawyers to familiarise themselves with the practicalities and judicial procedures in the field. The complexities of forensic science, the course of a police investigation, etc. are explained to them. After all of this, the newly hired judge must pass a series of departmental tests before taking the case to court.
Roles, Responsibilities, and Challenges of a Civil Judge
Intellectually challenging position
Being a civil judge is an intellectually demanding job because every court decision has a significant impact on the lives of regular people. As a result, in granting relief to the parties, a judge must carefully consider the facts and apply any pertinent legal provisions.
Bearing a heavy burden
As opulent and elegant as the title “judicial officer” may sound, it comes with much duty and pride. A civil judge serves as a spokesperson for both the Indian judicial system as a whole and the High Court under which they were appointed. As a result, one must exercise caution and self-control in both their personal and professional life.
Consistent Transfers
Each court official receives a new mandate every three years. This suggests that every couple of years, judges move to different cities within their state. The ability of a judge to remain in office may be affected by such actions, which may also cause issues in their personal lives.
Possibility to make a meaningful contribution to society
In addition to being one of the most prestigious government occupations in the legal field, judicial services also present an opportunity to give back to one’s country by supporting the administration of justice. Because of this, a committed and sympathetic judge can make a big difference in how justice is delivered.
A large amount of work
You may already be aware that the lower court system of the nation is currently handling more than 3.6 crore cases. As a result, civil judges are under tremendous pressure to diligently carry out their daily tasks and reduce the backlog of cases as much as possible. Even though the standard service hours are from 9 am to 5 pm, the job requires much more than this due to the mounting workload and intense pressure.
Read More: Best Books For Civil Judge Exam Preparation
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs):
Q: How much money is spent on the lower court judges' salaries and benefits?
A: The wage range generally ranges from Rs. 27,700 - 770 to Rs. 33,090 - 920 to Rs. 40,450 - 1080 to Rs. 44,770. The government occasionally proposes additional allowances be granted to judges in the lower courts..
Q: What are the responsibilities and roles of a civil judge?
A: Civil Judges make decisions in civil cases with low stakes in money. On the civil side, there is the Court of Civil Judges (Senior Division), and on the criminal side, there is the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate. Senior division civil judges have the power to rule on any civil matter .
Q: What benefits do junior civil judges receive?
A: Currently, a civil judge's (JD) gross monthly compensation is Rs. 82 000 (basic plus DA; no deductions). 10% is deducted from NPS and TDS. In addition, they are eligible for a few benefits, including:
- Petrol Subsidy: Rs. 6000 (per month)
- Newspaper/Magazine Allowance: payment of 4-5 newspapers' and magazines' invoices
- Medical Assistance: 2000 rupees (per month)
- Reimbursement of telephone and internet bills
- 1500 in Househelp Allowance ( per month)
- Payment of 50% of water and power bills
- If available, they are given a 3/4 BHK government apartment. They can obtain rented housing in the civic area if government housing is not available at that time; the government will pay them for their costs (rent up to Rs.15-17k is reimbursed in tier 2&3 cities and up to Rs.30000 in NCR).
- Only CMJ and DJs have access to government vehicles in the legal system. Thus, all other judges drive their vehicles.
- In addition to these various medical allowances (which are awarded every three to four years), there are also allowances for laptops, furnishings, and LTC. Other allowances, except LTC, vary in size from state to state.
Q:What types of fields can a Civil Judge work in?
A: Courts and Judiciary, Law Firms, Legal Consultancies, Judiciary, Business Houses, MNCs, and News Channels are a few of the industries where a Civil Judge may work. .
Q: How many years of experience must a lawyer have before taking the Higher Judicial Services Exam?
A: One of the most crucial requirements to take the Higher Judicial Services Exam is the completion of seven years of preparation. To be admitted to the HJS, a candidate must take a competitive examination