ABSTRACT
This chapter attempts to bridge the gap between differing perceptions of the progress made by the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) towards the achievement of greater diversity in the judiciary in England and Wales. The JAC position is generally articulated by the JAC itself, although it is shared by supporters in the legal profession, the judiciary and in government and policy circles. Valverde argues that socio-legal scholars need to pay greater attention to issues of scale and jurisdiction when analysing particular governmental ideas, phenomena and preferences. In Valverde's account, 'scale' is composed of three elements: spatiality, temporality and 'mood', or affect. The issue of jurisdiction is also crucial in explaining the difference between the JAC and critical chronotopes. In Chronotopes of Law, Valverde discusses the way the mundane technicalities of jurisdiction have a depoliticizing effect. The JAC chronotope is focused on the lower courts and tribunals judiciary, and on providing fair selection processes for appointments to those positions.
