How old do you have to be to become a judge?

The answer probably depends on where you are. In Canada it's not about age but about experience. For most lower level courts, you are required to have practiced law for 5 years. For the higher level [federal] ones, 10 years. Presumably, if you've completed the pre-law requirements and then obtained a law degree and then have practiced for a number of years, you're at least into your 30s before your eligible. * In the US there is not a set age for becoming a judge of any court. All US judges are either elected or appointed, therefore their political savvy is as important as their legal knowledge. Trial judges generally have 15+ years as trial attorneys with the average ages when they are first seated being between 47-50. Appellate courts are somewhat different as appellate judges do not usually have years of trial experience but are instead law professors and "office" lawyers (such as myself).