It seems like an arcane process to me TBH.
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It depends on the jurisdiction and what kind of court it is (i.e., federal vs state, superior court vs limited jurisdiction court…etc). In some jurisdictions, these trial level judges are appointed, typically by the mayor of the city/town or whatever the local equivalent is. In other places, they’re elected just like any other elected office. Federal district court judges are appointed by the President but the Senate has to approve.
In all jurisdictions that I’m aware of, you have to be a licensed attorney to become a judge. In practice, many judges are former judicial clerks (basically a lawyer who is an assistant to a judge) or prominent local lawyers. A lot of criminal court judges are former prosecutors/
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