President Karol Nawrocki signed an amendment to the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecutor’s Office Act, increasing the number of permitted attempts at the judicial or prosecutor exam from two to three.
Exam Attempts Increased for Judiciary Candidates
President Karol Nawrocki has signed an amendment to the Act concerning the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecutor’s Office (KSSiP), increasing the number of attempts allowed for the judicial or prosecutor exam from two to three.
Presidential Spokesman Rafał Leśkiewicz announced the signing on Friday morning.
Response to Applicant Concerns
The Ministry of Justice, which proposed the changes, stated the law responds to requests from KSSiP applicants. The amendment allows applicants who fail the exam to retake it twice more.
Deputy Minister of Justice Dariusz Mazur noted during parliamentary debates that existing regulations insufficiently considered applicants’ life circumstances.
Legislative Process and Approval
The Sejm adopted the amendment on February 27th, and the Senate on March 12th.
Votum Association’s Response
The Association of Graduates and Applicants of KSSiP Votum expressed satisfaction with the direction of the changes during debates in both chambers. However, they argued the scope of the amendment was insufficient.
They proposed measures such as recording exams and allowing judicial review of results, enabling appeals against exam outcomes.
Ministry Open to Further Discussion
The Ministry of Justice expressed willingness to consider the association’s suggestions during future revisions of the KSSiP Act.
Retake Conditions and Timelines
Under the amendment, applicants who fail the exam for the first time can retake it in the next available session, alongside the following year’s applicants.
Those failing twice will have one final attempt within five years of completing their application.
This right to two retakes does not apply to applicants who miss the exam without permission or interrupt it without justification.
Provisions for Past Exam Failures
The amendment also addresses applicants who failed the exam twice between 2013 and 2026, granting them one additional attempt within five years of the amendment’s enactment.
The Ministry believes this will expand the pool of candidates for assistant judge positions, improving staffing levels and efficiency within the justice system.
Effective Date and Background
The law will take effect 14 days after its official publication.
The National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecutor’s Office was established in 2009 and is supervised by the Minister of Justice.
It is Poland’s central institution responsible for the initial and ongoing training of judges and prosecutors, conducting legal profession applications, and developing competency standards.
