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Jobs that lead to the bench

• Prosecutor

  The most common background for trial judges. You are in court constantly from your first year.

• Public defender

  Same courtroom volume from the other side, and increasingly common on the bench.

• Magistrate or commissioner

  Handles warrants, pretrial matters and smaller cases. A real judicial job and a step toward a full seat.

• City or county attorney

  Local government law, plus the political relationships that appointments often run through.