New Magistrate - AMA

[NewWinger]

NC for this.

Apologies if this has been done before, but I've been a magistrate for almost a year. I'm still very much learning, but thought an AMA might be helpful for anyone thinking of applying, or if there's any interest generally in what we do/how we do it.

Very gently, are you permitted to do this? I say this as someone who does a similar role (not a magistrate though) and we have rules around this sort of thing.

That's a good question, @User84 - we're certainly advised to be careful, for want of a better word, with social media, but I don't use twitter, facebook and the like.

I can't see anything that would preclude this... I suppose I was hoping it might be useful for anyone considering applying, but unsure about doing so. I'll delve more into our guidelines, though.

Was your social media vetted when going through application process?

Not that I recall, and I assume that we would be told if that was the case. I have twitter/facebook/insta in my real (and very unusual) name, and although I'm inactive on all, I'd certainly be very easy to find if someone wanted to search for me.

How old are you and what did you do your degree in? Did you always want to become a Magistrate?

*Sorry i was presuming you did a degree but would be interested to know your career so far and what you led you to where you are now.

I've just turned sixty, and don't have a degree; luckily for me, there are no requirements around qualifications. Magistrates have to retire at 75, this was recently increased from 70.

I've always had an interest in the law, and actually did law A level, but that was enough for me to know that a career in law was not for me. I'm not sure why I left it so long to apply, it wasn't something I did consciously, and I certainly wish I had done so sooner.

Do check. I wouldn’t be permitted to do it.

My work background was with a high street bank, and later, working on the compliance side, so a lot of work around rules and regulations. I also spent some years at the Financial Ombudsman Service, adjudicating PPI complaints. I thought this work experience would be helpful as a magistrate, but in reality, it wasn't, because as an adjudicator, you're usually making your decision on the balance of probabilities; as a magistrate working on a trial, your decisions are usually worked on the basis of 'beyond reasonable doubt', which is a higher threshold.

This is interesting op. I've been considering applying for several years now but have put it off until my youngest dc was a bit older.

How many hours do you realistically spend doing it a week/month?

How was the application process? I've read a few horror stories.

The commitment for my bench (and I think nationally) is 26 sittings per year; this is a bit misleading, as one sitting is half a day, so effectively, 13 days per year. Our bench prefers you to only to full days, but half days can definitely be accommodated.

The way our bench works is that the rota team allocate sittings for the periods October-April and April-October. The details are usually released 4-5 week before the period starts. If you are allocated a sitting that you can't do, it's possible to vacate it; you can also look on the rota for extra sittings.

I've been sitting for almost a year, and have completed 45 sittings, but that was with me picking up extra sittings to build on my training and experience.

I found the application process okay; it was demanding in its way, but no worse that I was expecting. I completed the application form and did one observation (the requirement might be two now, as it was pre-covid) at my local court. After this, there were two Teams/Zoom interviews with an exercise before (I think) the second one; they were stretching, but my interviewers were friendly and professional. Inevitably, they will challenge what you've done in the exercise, and question your responses, but I found it was done in a reasonable way, and gave me a chance to explain my thinking/decision making, which as a magistrate, you really need to do.

What's the salary like?

Hahahaha

How long did the application process take? What kind of support and mentoring did you get when you started?

www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/magistrates-rapped-over-inappropriate-social-media-posts/5067100.article

I wouldn't take the risk. I know it's tiny but I would err very much on the side of extreme caution.

I applied in September 2020 and was sworn in September 2021; in-between were the two interviews and seven Teams training sessions.

My training was for new magistrates from four benches, there were four others sitting on my bench, and we quite early on set up a WhatsApp group for mutual support, and have met several times for lunch.

All new magistrates are assigned a mentor; the first sitting will be with the mentor, and five more mentored sittings. My mentor was (and still is) very supportive. Aside from that, presiding justices (bench chair) have been generally very helpful and encouraging, and I've had two or three offer on-going support at the end of the sitting.

Thanks for the notes of caution, User84 and Shannith. I hope to be helpful to anyone interested in applying or who wants to know more, but I will certainly be mindful of what I post.

When you sit on a Bench as a magistrate is your full name revealed or are you just known as 'Justice Smith'?

Thinking of applying but concerned about security.

Magistrates are of all ages, but in real life, what is the approx age of the youngest you have met?

@NewWinger Thank you for this thread. I think it is important to take the mystery away from the application process and encourage more people to volunteer to be magistrates.

I heard an interview with a young mum who was a magistrate on Radio 4. It sounded interesting.

My questions:
With no legal background do you feel supported in your role?

Do you have to sit every month to get your 13x per year or can you sit a block of 3 days once every 3 months?

Are the more experienced magistrates welcoming towards new and younger magistrates?

Is there much diversity: disabled, ethnic minority, youth on the bench like you would find on a jury?

How does it compare to jury service?

If a close relative (eg sibling or adult child) came before the Bench in your area as a defendant, what implications would it have for uou?

What is a magistrate?!

Do you think you're qualified / experienced enough for the role?

I don't just mean professionally but by living or working with people from vulnerable backgrounds? Understanding poverty and the complexities of drug abuse and societal issues?

I have given this serious consideration in the past, even went so far as to do the observation day; but decided to push my efforts elsewhere for the interim (leading a staff network). I may re-consider in a few years time, but would probably go for family court instead.

Where I sit, names tend not to be used in court, so for example, if the Presiding Justice (PJ) has a question for the Legal Advisor in open court, they will address them as Mr/Madam Legal Advisor. Similarly, court officials will refer to us as 'worships' or 'your worships'. Aside from my visibility on the bench, I feel quite anonymous.

Of the (usually) three magistrates on a case, only the PJ speaks, and this includes making the pronouncements. If a case has wider interest, it might be reported in the press, and the PJ might be named as part of the reporting. For example, my court has a stretch of motorway that is catnip for speeders, and there has been the occasional premier league footballer in court; this is the sort of thing that can be picked up and reported on, but of course, this is quite rare. I imagine that areas with an active local press, but little in the way of news might have more court reporting than, say, larger towns and cities.

I should mention there is no expectation that magistrates will become presiding justices, it's absolutely up the individual whether or not to pursue this.

I take your point about security, but so far, I've not felt any concerns. Also, I don't use social media much, but regardless, would never reveal myself as a magistrate on facebook, twitter or whatever.

Sorry, @Aslockton I forgot your age question.

There is a group within the Magistrates' Association for young magistrates (also groups for people of colour and for LGBT+); I have been on a group Teams session where at least two people appeared to be under 25.

Of the people I have sat with, I would say that the youngest has probably been late 30s/early 40s, but I believe that my area has an older demographic generally. I suspect the magistracy skews toward older people because of availability; employers should be supportive, and loss of earnings can be claimed as expenses, but still, a lot of people pre-retirement find themselves time-poor.