Access to the Judicial Career 2026: the CGPJ expands candidates by changing the key requirement

Key data

If you are a jurist with more than ten years of experience and ruled out applying for the Magistrate call in June 2026 because you believed you did not meet the degree requirement, this agreement of the CGPJ Plenary may change your decision. The Agreement of September 30, 2026 modifies the second base, point 3, b) of the original call, replacing the word "exclusively" with "expressly" in the description of bodies and scales whose entry requires a degree in Law.

This nuance is not minor: it potentially broadens the set of candidates who can demonstrate valid experience to compete in the selective process. And the deadline to act is already running.

What does this regulation establish?

The Plenary of the General Council of the Judicial Power has partially upheld appeal for reconsideration no. 375/2026, filed against the Agreement of June 9, 2026 of the Permanent Commission. That original agreement called for the selective process for the provision of Magistrate/a positions in bodies with shared competencies in civil and criminal jurisdictional orders, through the route of expert jurists of recognized competence with more than ten years of professional practice.

The modification is surgical: it affects exclusively the second base, point 3, b) of the call. The specific change is as follows:

The practical difference is significant: the term "exclusively" could be interpreted as meaning that the body or scale had to require only and solely the Law degree for entry, excluding groups that access with Law but also with other degrees. The term "expressly" is sufficient if the requirement for a degree in Law is expressly stated in the regulation governing the body, without it being the only possible degree.

Economic and operational impact

For potential candidates, the impact is not economic in the strict sense, but rather one of professional opportunity: accessing the Judicial Career in the category of Magistrate/a represents a change in status, remuneration and responsibility of the first order.

From an operational perspective, the agreement generates two immediate effects:

• Reopening of the application deadline: 20 business days from October 3, 2026. Candidates who did not apply in the original deadline because they believed they did not meet the degree requirement must recalculate whether they now fit the new wording.
• Review of experience accreditation: The change affects how experience in bodies and scales with a degree in Law is accredited. Candidates belonging to bodies that require Law expressly (although not exclusively) can now justify their experience as valid.

For law firms and organizations that have jurists on staff with a Magistrate profile, this change could mean the departure of senior professionals who had not previously considered the competition.

Who does it affect?

The agreement especially affects the following groups of jurists with more than ten years of professional practice in matters specific to civil and criminal jurisdictional orders:

• Prosecutors of the Public Prosecutor's Office
• State Counsel of the State Counsel Body
• Court Administration Lawyers
• Legal officials of bodies and scales whose entry requires a degree in Law expressly
• Any jurist of recognized competence who had ruled out applying due to the previous interpretation of the degree requirement

Practical example

Suppose a Court Administration Lawyer with 14 years of professional practice in civil courts. When he read the original June 2026 call, he interpreted that his body did not meet the requirement because entry into his scale admits, in certain circumstances, degrees other than Law. With the previous wording ("exclusively"), he could understand that he was excluded.

Following the modification approved on September 30, 2026, if the regulation governing his body requires a degree in Law expressly—although it is not the only degree admitted—his experience is valid to demonstrate the requirements of the second base, point 3, b). This candidate now has 20 business days from October 3, 2026 to submit his application.

The same reasoning applies to prosecutors or State Counsel who had ruled out competing due to a restrictive reading of the original requirement.

What should candidates do now?

1. Review whether the change from "exclusively" to "expressly" includes you: Check whether the regulation governing your body or scale requires a degree in Law expressly. If so, your experience may be valid even if you previously thought it wasn't.
2. Calculate the deadline: The new 20 business day deadline starts on October 3, 2026 (date of publication in the BOE). Identify the exact deadline date in your calendar and don't miss it.
3. Demonstrate more than 10 years of professional practice in matters specific to civil and criminal jurisdictional orders, as required by the call.
4. Prepare the application documentation: Gather proof of professional experience, degree and any other requirement specified in the second base of the original call of June 9, 2026.
5. Consult the complete call in the BOE: The full text of the modified call is available in the official BOE source. If you have any doubts about whether your profile fits, consult with a professional specialized in Administrative Law or judicial competitions.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-20543