| MANICURIST | Absurdly busy judge initially dismissed law student for digital pro? (10) |
| ONEL | First-year law student, for short |
| ENGAGED | Busy judge losing focus during conclusion (7) |
| TWOLS | Experienced law students, for short |
| KEEPONTRYING | Persevere, as busy judges do (4,2,6) |
| REFUGEE | Judge, initially unsympathetic, has word of encouragement for runaway (7) |
| ARBITRATE | Judge initially authors rude piece on a different judge |
| CALLTOTHEBAR | Invitation to drink for the successful law student? |
| JAMAICAINN | Judge initially at sea, swallowing murderer's story of seaside crime (7,3) |
| JOYRIDER | Criminal only disheartened with condition attached by judge initially (8) |
| JODHPUR | Judge initially terribly proud about hospital in Indian city (7) |
| HIJACK | Take over from journalist one judge initially gets imprisoned (6) |
| CONJECTURE | Conservative judge initially dismissing opening speech as opinion without proof (10) |
| PEDICURE | Unusual prejudice seeing no judge initially offering treatment such as this (8) |
| LANTERNJAWED | Oddly want learned judge initially having hollow look |
| ADUMBRATES | A silent judge initially silenced augurs |
| EJECTING | Sending out nice judge initially, get replacement |
| HEARTBREAKING | Judge initially thinks burglary before midnight is very upsetting |
| PREFAB | Lead round judge initially admiring cheap building (6) |
| PANJANDRUM | Criticise judge initially, and strange potentate (10) |
