What are the pros and cons of being a judge?

Pros:

• Competitive Benefits. Judges make great money. On average, they make between $180,000 to $270,000 annually. Along with this, they often have great benefit packages like extensive medical insurance and retirement options.

• Prestigious Work. Judges are highly respected, educated individuals. It is a prestigious title that can open up a lot of different doors in different circles. If that is something that interests you, this can be a great perk for judges.

• Important Work. As a judge, you play an extremely important role in our judicial system. You have the power to do a lot of good with this role, and while there is also a lot of responsibility, the work is great.

Cons:

• Extensive Education Requirements. Judges hold Juris Doctorates, which are time intensive and difficult to obtain. The education can take at least 8 years to obtain, and then after that, you need to work for years to gain the necessary experience before becoming a judge.

• Stress. Making the decision for cases can be extremely difficult. Not all cases are easy, and some people may be angered by your decisions. This can be extremely stressful for many judges.

• Long Hours. Judges who are working on difficult cases need to spend a lot of time reviewing similar cases. Outside of a typical work week, there is often a lot of take-home work involved for judges.