Judgement Writing Tips for Judicial Services Exam 2023

How to write a judgement for judiciary exams? What are the best judgement writing tips? From where can I get the judgement writing guide for beginners? From where should I practice judgement writing questions?

Judgement Writing is considered to be the backbone of the Judicial Services Exam. In any Judiciary Mains examination, Judgement writing is a separate section while holding equal importance as other sections. 

If you are an aspirant of judicial services or preparing for the Mains session of any state, then you are at the right place. This post will give in-depth insight on preparing for Judgement Writing for various Judiciary Exams. 

Read the post and clear your queries about Judgement Writing. You can also watch a video on Judgement writing tips by Shubham Upadhyaya, the product head at Judiciary Gold. 

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How to Write a Judgement for Judiciary Exams 2023

Two forms/types of Judgement Writing are asked in the Civil Judge exams. One is the Judgement Writing in Civil cases, and the other is the Judgement Writing in Criminal cases. 

Take note of the following tips and tricks to score the most out of the Judgement Writing for Judiciary exams.

• The first and foremost requirement is to have in-depth knowledge of all substantive and procedural laws, such as the Civil Procedure Code, Contract Act, Sale of Goods Act, etc., from Civil Law and Criminal Procedure Code, Indian Penal Code for Criminal Law.
• Thorough knowledge of the Indian Evidence Act is another important thing that can help you write an impressive judgement and fetch good marks.
• Judgment Writing for Judicial Services is like a Mathematics problem that involves step marking. Hence, sticking to a proper judgement writing format of a court's judgement and attempting each stage of the judgement will exponentially increase your marks.
• Avoid the temptation to use technical Legal Jargon or vocabulary. Use simple language that anyone can understand.
• Go through the judgement writing format and a judgement writing example mentioned here.
• Practice previous year's judgement writing questions for Judiciary exams in the same format.
• While attempting the judgement, diligently read all the facts given in the question and mark the critical points to ensure that you do not miss out on them.
• Prepare a rough format of judgement writing by taking a minute not to skip any vital piece of information.
• Make sure to keep in mind essential aspects that are different in a civil law judgement and a criminal law judgement.
• Be crisp and write what is necessary. Avoid repetition, and do not worry about the length of the answer, as you will get marks if you have mentioned all the relevant points.
• Contrary to popular belief, the final decision in given facts (for example, acquittal or conviction in a criminal case) is not the most significant part of the Mains answer in the judiciary exams.
• Your judgement will fetch marks if you have mentioned all the relevant points, discussed all critical issues, and given logical and sound reasoning for your decision.

Judgement Writing Format for Judiciary Mains Exam 2022

The judgement writing format is the stepping stone of judgement writing. An appropriate judgment writing format is the low-hanging fruit that can fetch you real quick marks for sure. 

Go through the detailed structure of judgement writing guide for beginners of judicial services. 

• Introduction: This should ideally be a 4-5 line paragraph highlighting the introduction to the case mentioned in the question. A criminal case would be brief about the subject of prosecution. Under a civil case, it will briefly lay down the plaintiff's claim.
• Facts Admitted: You need to mention all the undisputed facts and established in the case to clarify the lack of necessity. This lets you look for the proof from the party which bears the burden to prove the same.
• Framing of Charges/ Framing of Issues: In a criminal case, framing charges is an important responsibility bestowed upon a magistrate, whereas in a civil case, its place is taken by the framing of issues. While charges are framed in connection with the offence alleged to be committed, issues are framed in a civil dispute connected with the conflict between the parties therein.
• Appreciation of Evidence: At this stage, all the evidence given in the question is measured up, implying that you have to analyse and specify if facts that were attempted to be proved by the presented evidence have been sufficiently established or not. In addition, you also have to evaluate whether a particular piece of evidence is accepted or not.
• Marshaling of Evidence: This stage is usually confused with an appreciation of evidence, but once all the evidence is appreciated (i.e., which evidence is accepted and which is not), all evidence that substantiates a particular fact is put together. For example, in a criminal case of affray, proof of all eyewitnesses about the incident has to be clubbed together so that the facts that all such witnesses commonly establish can be considered sufficiently proved.
• Findings/Decision: This is the last heading of the answer on Judgement Writing. Here, you have to briefly summarise all your findings in the case and mention the decision. Under civil cases, while this decision (operative part of the judgement) is whether the plaintiff's suit is decreed or not. In criminal cases, such a decision is either of conviction or acquittal of the accused and also stretches to the question about the quantum of sentence decided by the court for the charged in the event of a sentence.

Based on your scores in the mains exam, you shall be shortlisted for the interview round. There are a few tips you need to follow for the Civil Judge Interview to be shortlisted for final selection.