I’m a Magistrate - AMA

[BettyCallMeAl]

I’m a magistrate, and since a few people at work have asked me about it, I thought I’d do an AMA in case others have questions.

I am a Presiding Justice in adult criminal courts, holding trials and sentencing across the whole range of cases from theft to drugs, assault, domestic violence, criminal damage, sexual offences, traffic etc (96% of all criminal offence are dealt with by Magistrates - only the most serious are not). I also adjudicate on search warrants for drugs / immigration, various other things.

If you want to know more about what we do, what works well / doesn’t, ask away. Or if you might want to become a magistrate, are due to appear in court as a defendant / witness, and want to know how it all works, I am here.

(so long as you address me as Your Worship and take your hands out of your pockets) 😊

From Google: Yes, a solicitor can be a magistrate in the UK.

Eligibility and Rules

• Legal background: Having a legal background or being a qualified lawyer does not stop you from applying.
• Conflict of interest: You cannot sit as a magistrate in a local area or court where your firm practices or where there is a direct conflict of interest with your day job. Criminal solicitors often choose to sit in a different city or apply to hear family court cases instead.
• Excluded professions: While solicitors are allowed, certain other justice-related professions (such as police officers and prison officers) are barred from serving as magistrates.

General Requirements

• Age: You must be between 18 and 74 years old.
• Time commitment: You must commit to serving at least 13 days (or 26 half-days) per year for a minimum of five years, plus initial and annual training.
• Role nature: It is a voluntary, unpaid role, though you can claim certain allowances for travel and loss of earnings.

Magistrates are not Judges.
The Jury system for courts is a random selection of people from the electoral register.

But magistrates try people and agree if they are guilty/not guilty. They sentence and send people to prison, agree levels of fines or community service orders. That sounds like a judge to me, but they work on benches of three magistrates, so like a jury too.

No, I meant an actual Judge - with a qualification.
No, a jury is 12 people selected at random from the electoral register. It's never 3 people.