INFJ Magistrature
INFJ Magistrature - Concorso in Magistratura (Italian Ordinary Judiciary Entrance Examination)
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ExploreAbout this exam
The concorso in magistratura is the public competition through which lawyers in Italy are recruited into the ordinary judiciary - as giudice (judge) or pubblico ministero (prosecutor) - after appointment as magistrato ordinario in tirocinio. It is aimed at graduates in giurisprudenza who hold full civil and political rights and meet the eligibility requirements set out in the bando published by the Ministero della Giustizia; the bando is the only authoritative source for deadlines, requirements and procedures. The selection is famously demanding: a written stage of theoretical-practical elaborations (atti giudiziari and essays) drawn mainly from civil law and civil procedure, criminal law and criminal procedure, and administrative law, followed by an oral examination spanning the full range of subjects in the programme, including constitutional, EU, international, tax, labour and commercial law. Preparation is a long-distance effort: systematic study of manuals and codes, constant practice in drafting reasoned judicial acts under time pressure, and familiarity with the most recent Cassazione and Corte costituzionale case law. This page is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Ministero della Giustizia or any official examining body; candidates should always verify every procedural detail against the current official bando.
What you'll study
About INFJ Magistrature preparation
What exactly does the concorso in magistratura qualify me to do?
It selects magistrati ordinari, who may be assigned functions as giudice (deciding cases, including preliminary investigations where applicable) or as pubblico ministero (directing investigations and prosecuting). Appointment follows a period as magistrato ordinario in tirocinio, with subsequent evaluations provided by law.
What is the structure of the examination?
As a rule there is a written stage consisting of theoretical-practical elaborations - typically essays and atti giudiziari in civil, criminal and administrative matters - followed by an oral examination on the subjects listed in the programme. The exact structure, subjects and any preselection test are fixed by the bando, so read it carefully.
How many questions, how long, and what is the passing score?
These are set for each individual concorso and change between competitions. The Ministero della Giustizia publishes the current figures in the bando and related decrees on its official website (giustizia.it); consult those documents rather than relying on second-hand information, which is frequently outdated.
Can I retake the exam if I fail?
Eligibility to sit again depends on the requirements in force and on the specific bando, so there is no single answer valid across competitions. Check the bando's admission requirements and any provisions on previous participation before planning; do not assume that a prior attempt bars you or that it does not.
How difficult is it, realistically?
It is one of the most selective legal competitions in Italy, with a very large candidate pool and a small number of places. The written stage rewards structured legal reasoning and correct drafting more than memorised notions, so candidates who only read manuals and never practise writing atti tend to struggle.
In what order should I study the subjects?
Most candidates build civil law and civil procedure and criminal law and criminal procedure first, since the written elaborations typically come from those areas, then add administrative law. Constitutional, EU, international, tax, labour and commercial law are best layered in progressively and revisited for the oral stage.
How should I practise the written elaborations?
Write full atti and essays under timed conditions, using the codes rather than summaries, and then compare your reasoning against leading case law and model structures. Have a tutor or study group critique your drafts: issues such as omitted procedural steps, unclear qualification of the facts and weak motivation are what examiners notice.
What are the most common failure modes?
Typical problems include misreading the facts, omitting a procedural step, failing to identify the correct legal issue, citing case law vaguely or inaccurately, and poor organisation of the argument. Candidates also underestimate the oral stage and neglect subjects outside the three written areas.
Do I need to follow case law closely?
Yes. The elaborations and the oral examination expect awareness of orientamenti giurisprudenziali, especially Cassazione decisions and Corte costituzionale rulings on the issues in the programme. Track updates systematically and cite them precisely rather than approximately.
Where do I find official information about the next concorso?
The Ministero della Giustizia publishes bandi, admission lists, calendars and results on its official website. Treat that site as the only authoritative source; this page is an independent study guide and is not affiliated with the Ministry or any examining body.