Cost-Magistrates are unpaid, but judges earn 90,000. let out on strict conditions - for example to keep away from named places or people . "One of the satisfying things is you get the sense that the defendant feels that they've been dealt with fairly.That might mean they are going to prison and it might mean something else but they can feel that they've been given a fair hearing. Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) Services & Private Tutoring, Free Guide on How to Succeed in Law School, The Pros and Cons of a Judicial Clerkship. Magistrates are required to sit a minimum of 26 half days (13 full days) a year. Magistrates resented wasting their precious time in the retiring room, while trials collapsed and they waited for CPS or defence practitioners to be ready. He said: I was the director on the London Underground and I started sitting as a magistrate whilst I was still working. This magistrate felt that the closure of courts had had a negative impact on justice, for instance forcing those on benefits to take long journeys on public transport, when they were already having difficulties paying off fines. Despite having close to 17 years of judicial experience between . We will also look more closely at the magistrates themselves and consider the benefits they bring. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. Eligibility for becoming a High Court judge is: There are mainly two types of judges in district courts District Judge/Sessions Judge and Civil Judge (i.e., the magistrate). Given his infectious and seemingly perpetual cheerfulness, it is hard to imagine him pouring over legal tomes and delivering stony-faced verdicts. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused. Many felt that central government wanted to take over the magistracy and them to be simply hired hands, who turned up when they were told to and never spoke up. At 11 o-clock I was shopping because we were sent home. Some good news after almost 11 months of applying and interviews and lots of rejections finally got an offer! Having stopped full time work four years ago at the age of 60, she was in a position to take on the unpaid role of a JP - a justice of the peace. The judicial service exam has three phases, i.e., preliminary, mains, and interview. We had one man who was a regular drug user and he had been in and out of court many times. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. In order to qualify as a magistrate you need to have an LLB degree as a minimum requirement. They just give you a slot and stick you in there, it doesnt matter if you do the same court for umpteen weeks, as long as that slot is filled then their duty has been completed. Still, on the other hand, this profession requires a lot of hard work and dedication, from preparing for the judicial examination to becoming a judge. Get Revising is one of the trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd. Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. Representative of Society-people from all ethnicities. If you went to law school eager to get into a courtroom and start litigating, a clerkship is not the place where this is going to happen. A group of magistrates listening to a case are collectively known as the bench'. Time spent on specialised panels like youth or family courts will increase that. "I think more young people should become involved," he said. 4% are under 40, 50% are over 60. As being said that they handle very limited types of cases, these types include (but can vary from state to state): Child Support, Alimony, custody issues, family issues, family property use. Your email address will not be published. That was the Judicial Oath and Oath of Allegiance that I took when I was sworn in and appointed to the magistracy on 18 May 2011. Health Requirements There are no big health requirements and no medical exam will need to be taken. Why did you decide to become a magistrate? Magistrates embody one of the most important tenets of the criminal justice system - the principle that defendants are judged by their peers. It gives the young generation a wide range of opportunities to get involved in this system and contribute to the best possible service to the country. After leaving the police force I went into retail for around 10 years. Some offences, like theft and fraud, are considered either/or' offences and can be dealt with by magistrates or a judge, depending on their seriousness. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. I always wanted to know more about how the Bench arrived at their decisions, what were the processes involved. "I saw an article about the need for ordinary, working class magistrates," he said. Completed applications should be sent to LRLN-JudicialSupportTeam@justice.gov.uk . Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Carmine Proofreading with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. But as Roger points out, shattering the stereotypes surrounding magistrates is perfectly consistent with judicial principles. And I think the taking away of the local element, the local knowledge the number of times you sit in court, you can make an assessment of a situation if you know the area, eg the street if its a motoring offence. Find out what they had to say here. However, they must have six key qualities: Good Character; Commitment and Reliability; Social Awareness; Sound Judgement; Understanding and Communication; and Maturity and Sound Temperament. 'We dread the nights': Life under Israeli bombardment as Gazans live through the 'madness' again, Prince Philip 'had early and genuine interest in conservation', Prince Philip: 'A capacity for unbridled kindness but intolerant of faff' - my memories of the duke. "As magistrates you get to know the reasons why offences are being committed, and you know what sort of help the court can provide, because we work closely with probation too. In contrast, an executive magistrate can take matters related to public peace, maintaining law and order, etc. Its little wins like that which make it really rewarding.". It can be really disheartening, as the chain is just not being broken.. What are the benefits of clerking? If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. The most talked-about (and most prestigious) clerkship is that for a federal judge. (LogOut/ Before we start thinking about the advantages of magistrates, we will first consider what they are and how the magistrates' courts work. "They're making their own staff richer - it provides a wealth of experience that will help them with their careers," she said. Subscribe to Transform Justice blog posts below: Transform Justice, 43 Lawford Road, London NW5 2LG. State court judges and justices also hire law clerks. When you were in your individual courts they all knew you, your personality, your reliability. There can be threats if the decision by a judge is not favourable for a party or section of people. Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE, Advantages and disadvantages of Magistrates. There are lots of letters on the board in X court saying we value your work but it is just words on paper.. Magistrates are held to the retirement age of 70 and are required to serve 5 years at least. We find this increasingly difficult to accept. Read about our approach to external linking. I was surrounded by approximately 50 other newly-appointed magistrates who each took the oath in turn. Even though youre the chairman it doesnt necessarily mean that you have the final say as your wingers may disagree with your decision. Follow these steps to become a successful magistrate: 1. On the other hand the disadvantage of magistrates is that there is a . Several issues contributed to their unhappiness, 1) The closure of courts and diminution of local justice, Many interviewees felt that the magistracy was rooted in local justice and this value had been undermined by the closure of courts and the way it was done. For me its a way of doing something that actually benefits people, its a way of giving back to the community. Application forms can be found on the website www.gov.uk/government/publications/become-a-magistrate-application-form. These are the essential duties of a judge: Apart from the monthly salary, a judge is entitled to a lot of monthly allowances given below: The executive magistrate is the district magistrate of a particular area. There are many benefits to employers supporting their staff to be magistrates. Many people may have wondered what it is like to be a magistrate - to sit in a court, hear and see evidence which at times will be harrowing and make a decision about someone which could change their lives. Magistrates thought the increase in out of court disposals deprived them of cases which should be heard in open court. I started sitting in Wigan in 1996. Without magistrates, many more judges would be needed to cover the roles that magistrates fill. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. Read Next: 1. It gives the power to erode the evils existing in society. One day he came in for his review and he had brought in some paper with him. In addition, magistrates are a relatively cheap option for the legal system compared to judges. The manager threatened the magistrate with a disciplinary process. Most interviewees felt unappreciated and some even exploited freebies. She said: Being a magistrate fits in really well with my full time career. Thank you for your support! But away from the court, magistrates are everyday people who give up their time to give something back to the community. But Agnes argues it benefits everyone. As mentioned above, magistrates do not need to already have legal knowledge or training. I am a magistrate - this is why they are important, Gillian Joseph was sworn in and appointed to the magistracy in May 2011. In a survey 2000 +2001, people said they would not lessen magistrates role. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this sites owner is strictly prohibited. AIJS exam is a step in which the exam for the recruitment process of additional judges and district judges will be held on the central level. 51% are women, 8% are ethnic minorities. But, everything present on this planet has both negative and positive aspects. The magistracy benefits from having younger people in it, and younger people benefit from having been a part of the magistracy too. Sign up for our free five-star course here! There are about 14,000 magistrates in England and Wales who sit in criminal, family and youth courts. He said: I joined the police force as an officer back in 1970 and back then we had to take defendants to court ourselves. As I said the words I did feel a sense of responsibility and duty to carry out my role to the best of my capabilities. Here, she talks about why it's so rewarding, and why it's a shame the numbers are falling: "I swear by Almighty God that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth the Second, in the office of Justice of the Peace and I will do right to all manner of people after the laws and usages of the realm without fear or favour, affection or ill will. The process of obtaining a state court clerkship is less formal (and often slightly less competitive) than the process for obtaining a federal clerkship. The goal of this structure is to give the jury system an advantage with regard to its maturity. In doing so they both give back to the community in a valuable way and invest in staff development. This is because of law students, advocates, judges and professors like you, who give me satisfaction, hope and the motivation to keep working. A judge must be fair and impartial, doing everything for the sake of justice and nothing for the benefit of friends or family. However, it doesnt make it any less hard if they are independent. Best Answer Writing Tips for Law Exams 2. By using this site, you allow the use of cookies, and you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Its especially hard to see how people have fallen down the scale of life. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. That feels good., Magistrates were passionate about their role but many had concerns about how they were treated and the way the courts were being managed, The rate of change is probably too fast so that people feel undervalued.There isnt a chance to really feel that people are having a contribution in terms of collaboration, in terms of making suggestions as to how things might change; it is all being done to us rather than us being part of those decisions. Agnes first moved to Wales in 1986 and describes herself as a "British Malaysian Indian". Most judges have at least one attorney on their staff who helps the judge conduct legal research, prepare for hearings and trials and draft written opinions. Now you are just a number. SMW1494H06. But Roger Sanders, who also works as a gardener, has been dispensing down-to-earth justice since he became a magistrate 12 years ago. Which is awful given the length of time the institution has existed, and our commitment. "If magistrates are meant to represent and understand the community, they've got to be representative in more than one sense. 806 8067 22, Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE, Lay magistrates advantages and disadvantages, Advantages and Disadvantages of Lay people, Advantages & Disadvantages of Magistrates, Advantages and Disadvantages of Trial in the Crown Court, See all The Criminal courts and lay people resources , AQA Law Unit 1 Predictions (17th May PM) , Unofficial mark scheme for aqa as law unit 1 , AQA Law Unit 1 (FRI 23/05/14) - Exam Revision , AQA Law - Friday 23rd June 2014 Unit 1 Exam , Lay involvement - public participation in the justice system, Local knowledge - community concerns and interests represented, Balanced view - a bench of three Magistrates provides a balanced view, Cost - they are volunteers and therefore relatively cheap, though do take longer to make decisions than professional judges, Not representative - similar criticisms to judiciary being from middle-class and professional backgrounds, Inconsistent - Magistrates can be slow to reach a decision often retiring to consider their verdict where a professional district judge would come to a decision straight away, Bias towards the police - sitting in local areas, Magistrates get to know the police officers that come to give evidence and tend to be more sympathetic to this. This involves setting the timetable, deciding bail, hearing the evidence and deciding on a verdict. But things can be handled with courage and determination to do good for society. Its the little wins that really make it worth it, says Kevin Moody. 806 8067 22, Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE, Advantages and Disadvantages of Magistrates, Lay magistrates advantages and disadvantages, Advantages and Disadvantages of Lay people, Advantages & Disadvantages of Magistrates, Advantages and Disadvantages of Trial in the Crown Court, See all The Criminal courts and lay people resources , AQA Law Unit 1 Predictions (17th May PM) , Unofficial mark scheme for aqa as law unit 1 , AQA Law Unit 1 (FRI 23/05/14) - Exam Revision , AQA Law - Friday 23rd June 2014 Unit 1 Exam , Cost-Magistrates are unpaid, but judges earn 90,000. His infectious and seemingly perpetual cheerfulness, it is hard to imagine him pouring over legal tomes delivering. 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