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What path should I take in regards to becoming a federal judge after high school?

I'm in high school and want to become a federal judge. I'm wondering what I should study, and what University is best for law and becoming a federal judge?

law criminal-justice government politics federal-government
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Nina’s Answer

Of course you should go to law school and become a lawyer. After law school, you should try to serve as a clerk to a federal judge. Then there are a lot of paths to the bench from there, but many judges work in a combination of public interest work, private practice, and teaching.
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Fred’s Answer

Almost all federal judges are former state judges, and almost all of those are former lawyers.

So your best first step is to go to law school. Then, work as a lawyer. Being a prosecutor is a good field to get recognized. In the states I know about, the Governor appoints all state judges, who then must be approved by the state legislature.

A similar process happens for federal judges, except it's the President of the United States who appoints, and Congress who approves.

So there is no "take these classes, and apply". As I understand the process, you don't apply, you have to be recognized. Getting involved in politics and making connections can also help. And to be honest, having a lot of money to donate to political campaigns can also help with name recognition.

In short, you have to be extremely lucky to become a Federal Judge.

The above is my opinion based on what I've heard and read. It may not all be 100% true, so please do your own research.
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Justin’s Answer

If your goal is to become a judge, you need to become a lawyer first, so I would definitely recommend going to law school and planning to spend some years as a lawyer. It is very difficult to control whether you become a judge, since it's often determined by whether you're connected to the right politicians who can support you, but there are a few tings you can do to increase your chances: first, when you become a lawyer, be a litigator and not a different kind of lawyer. Second, work hard, study hard, and try to become the best lawyer you can be. Third, attend as many legal gatherings as possible, and devote a lot of time to netowrking outside work.
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