The number of years a lawyer must serve at the Bar before they can apply to become a Supreme Court judge has doubled from five to ten.

The increase was approved by MPs on Friday, when they passed the Supreme Court Amendment Act 2009.

The new law — an amendment to the Supreme Court Act 1905 — also modernises the process for judicial review applications and applications challenging the legality of decisions made by public bodies or officers.

Junior Justice Minister Michael Scott presented the legislation to the House of Assembly.

John Barritt, the Opposition's spokesman on legislative reform, said that though the new act was "probably not the most interesting and exciting item on the agenda" it was important in terms of modernising the law.

He said it brought into effect recommendations from the Judicial Review Committee and the Law Reform Committee.