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Is courtroom experience required to become a judge in the United States?

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Courtroom experience is not a prerequisite for becoming a judge in the United States.1

While the path to a judiciary position typically involves completing a formal legal education and spending time in the private practice of law, government legal service, or teaching, there is no formal requirement for prior courtroom experience.12

In the United States, judges are either appointed or elected. Federal judges are appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate, while state-level selection methods vary, including popular elections, appointments, or the Missouri Plan, which utilizes a nominating commission to screen candidates. Because there is no standardized pattern of promotion or mandatory prior judicial service, the background of individuals who become judges can vary significantly, ranging from highly experienced legal professionals to, in some limited instances, individuals with little to no formal legal training, such as certain justices of the peace.13