Could you be a magistrate?

[Netcurtainnelly]

There's a big volunteer recruitment drive for magistrates at the moment?
Does it interest you?

Your employer certainly doesn’t have to give you time off? Why do you think that, have I missed some law?

I already do a couple of non exec jobs. Working them around my work responsibilities (and they take nothing like 18 days a year) is very hard. It’s not necessarily the time off, but getting the work done in an intense role while also having an additional 18 days a year out of the business.

It's a legal duty to give you time off for it, like it is for jury duty:

https://www.gov.uk/giving-staff-time-off-for-magistrate-duty

Other benches will be recruiting throughout 2026, including London-wide starting later this month.

https://magistrates.judiciary.uk/ac-recruitment-plan/?sType=magistrates_website#_gl=11fdzcem_gcl_au*Njk4NDQxNTE5LjE3Njc1MjM5Mzc.

Edited for typo.

I did think about it when I retired 6 years ago, but then COVID hit and I never got around to doing anything about it.

This is just another example of running the "justice" system on the cheap.See also: "juror expenses".

Kent is still TBC. If there was a way to register interest without having to pick one of the 3 available that would be useful? I have checked 3 times over the last year as I am very interested - bit of a law background, degree in a more social sciences area and no kids at home any more so a lot of free time as a single mum. I did do GCSE's at a private school though so maybe it isn't worth applying?

I presume you don’t know all the laws, and this seems to be one you don’t know:

https://www.gov.uk/giving-staff-time-off-for-magistrate-duty

You might want to do some googling before you state things “certainly”, to contradict someone who has direct experience of something and when you actually don’t know…

I agree but we have few options to help the Judicial system out of the hole it is in. Ever since the "Enemies of The People" headlines Farage encouraged the system has had less and less funding, crumbling courtrooms and long delays where women seemingly get their cases pushed down the order of service. I think an all hands on deck approach is a bit more useful.

Ok well I didn’t know that and neither did many other posters who have also shown interest in the role so it’s hardly a failure of me not to go looking for a law that gives me time off. It would be helpful if this information was publicised in the recruitment

Well if it's not going to be funded then we need a government that will be honest with us, and abolish it.

I am sure there are plenty of Mumsnetters who would be only to glad to finally have the clearance to take out all the local paedos. Real or suspected.

Flytippers and vandals. Cut their goolies. off. It's the only way.

Surely those are the exact people who keep the Magistrates’ Courts in business?

I am a Magistrates Legal Advisor, it’s a fascinating role and there are some excellent Magistrates (some less so!) There is a real need for younger people with different life experiences to become Magistrates.
There is no need for any legal experience, training is extensive and Magistrates always have a Legal Advisor with them to help and guide them.
I work where I live and can honestly say I’ve never been approached by a defendant outside of court and I see 1000’s of people pass through my Court.

You can register your interest even if your area bench isn’t recruiting, there’s a link at the bottom of this page.

https://magistrates.affinixats.co.uk/jobtools/jncustomsearch.searchResults?in_jobDate=All&in_organid=20425

I’m slightly gobsmacked to read that people have been discounted because of their education, I would hope that’s a thing of the past.

The only note of caution I would sound about education/experience is that a background in law isn’t (imo) necessarily helpful.

Bear in mind, mags aren’t legally qualified; we have Legal Advisers and defer to their knowledge in matters of the law. I recently sat with a new colleague who had studied law at Cambridge and had worked for the CPO. This person used both to try and throw their weight around, and to relate a lot of cases to what they would have done/had learned. But their past experiences were specific to their circumstances then, and what they studied at university or needed to work for CPO is really quite different to what magistrates need.

I certainly wouldn’t deter anyone with a legal background from applying, but I would urge them to approach the magistracy with an open mind and to be willing to consider things from a new perspective.

Hope that makes sense.

Yes. V worthwhile thing to do

I’d be interested in being a magistrate in the family court, but I work for children’s services (although not a social worker, I’m in administration) so I imagine it would be a conflict of interest. Maybe if I ever change departments, I’ll apply.

I'd be happy to do it, I have the time, I tick one or two diversity boxes, I'm probably quite suited to the role. But as a volunteer? Nope.

I know they pay expenses, but I'd expect to be paid a decent day rate too, say, £250-£300 after tax/NI or, better still, tax free.

Not paying a decent rate is why magistrates are currently dominated by 'the usual suspects', not those of us who need a little more income.

I am one and it is very interesting and rewarding.

Well we all need to be happy with paying more in tax then. You cant improve the NHS , build more homes etc and then start paying for voluntary work without getting more income from somewhere.

Don't let it rule you out. It's likely you'd not be able to sit on cases where your LA was involved but other than that it should be fine. I worked for a LA when I started and only once in 2 years had to vacate a case.

I think it’s a damn shame. My dad died this year and it makes me sad to think that the education he and my mum scrimped and saved to give me would rule me out of something I wanted to do. I was the first in my family to ever go to university, have battled imposter syndrome all my life in a professional job but because I’m 51, white and privately educated sounds like I’m persona non grata.

Being privately educated is not a bar to being a Magistrate.

No.
Although I am a pinky liberal, I'm far too judgemental to be impartial

I was until I moved countries. I really enjoyed it and felt I was giving something back to society. The screening process is quite vigorous as is the time commitment. Don't forget you don't get paid, it's voluntary. Your employer also has to agree and your company gets compensation to cover your absence

I'm far from respectable enough. Ironically, if you have a clean sheet, you can get away with anything in public life/service.

It did until I got rejected 😂😂