Is anyone else on here a Magistrate?

[Magistraight]

(Lay)

And is anyone else getting hacked off with either cancelled sittings or being under their quota?
I keep volunteering to add on extra ones and don;t get allocated ones. Then I get snotty letters reminding me I am under.

Plus - how far away is the farthest court you are supposed to drive to? Ours seems near on the map but is 1,5 hours and I am subtly resisting all efforts to make me go there often.

Not a magistrate but I used to work booking magistrates for courts. Ours generally were expected to cover 3 cours which were all within 5 miles.

If you can do extra sittings, have you made sure the staff who book you are clear on when you can sit and how much notice you require, often a quick phone call can help.

Cancellations are abundant in most Magistrates. Courts at the moment unfortunately and until the cps sort themselves out its likely to continue.

What does the chairman of your bench have to say? Have you spoken to them about your low sittings?

I travel 35 miles to one court, 16 to another and 22 to a third in our area (each way). Longest drive is 1+1/4 hours one way. Cancellations are a problem - mainly staffing issues and CPS problems I think. I suspect it is the same everywhere for all of us.

I'm a police witness care officer, everything seems to be falling into meltdown. Cps are in chaos in my area, it's taking months just to get a case to EAH. I think your post is a small symptom of a national crisis in our courts

Yes our expected trek would be 3 hours in total.
I keep trying to get extra sittings but it seems everyone else is low. Despite all the crap about wanting people in work they don't seem to get that you can't drop everything at a weeks notice and piss off for the day.

Sigh.

We used to have regular long serving ocal staff who we knew and knew us. Now it's all centralised and is so anonymous. Court staff and clerks to justices seem to be on secondment elsewhere all the time or only last for 6 months.

And as for that awful rota swap programme!!

Julie

It's the chair and training committee who get all shirty about low sittings!

Are they shirty when you talk to them or are you just getting the standard letter?

If you keep a record of all the times you are cancelled and all the times you volunteer for extras, then tell the BTDC before it becomes an issue, you should be ok. Alternatively, become family only

That's a great tip. Everyone seems to be under. The mystery of where all court business has gone remains!!

Fixed penalties and the cps not preparing for trials and them vacating or discontinuing I guess.

They're giving all the available work to the DJs. IMO, that is.

I prosecute in the magistrates court (civil) and I get the impression the courts don't want our business. Court time has been cut to a minimum and it's difficult to get many cases through in the allotted time.

Empty don't know how it works in other courts but if work is short then what there is has always been allocated to the DJ. If for instance you have 2 full day trials listed for tomorrow and the cps discontinue one, it makes sense to give that trial to the DJ and cancel the bench for the other trial.

I am in the process of applying to be a magistrate. The court where I would be expected to sit is 40 miles away, would I get mileage allowance for that journey?

Yes you would, mileage according to car engine size. Also lunch allowance and if you need it, some childcare costs. Good luck. It is frustrating at times but still very much worth it.

Thank you BCBG.

It is something I have planned on doing for years as my dad became one when I was a teenager and I always found it fascinating. Now in my early 40s, I feel I have enough life experience to apply.

The issue re mileage is that I am applying in a neighbouring county (that I am within 5 miles of the border to) as our county has not recruited for many years. They have recently rearranged sittings so I would have to go that much further.

No childcare costs as youngest DC starts secondary in September which is when training would start.

I think I meet all the criteria very well, my only weak point is local social knowledge as area is very multicultural and deprived in places but I am typical white middle class. I have some experience of social difficulties through other volunteer work but not much to be honest.

I have done lots of research, observations, talking to people, justice.gov.uk you be the judge scenarios (and got the right sentence in most of them!), read a couple of copies of The Magistrate. I think I've done as much as I can!!

Interview should be in April sometime, have not yet been called but know I am in the first Number that will get interview as long as eligibility is met.

Any tips for interview?

No tips except be yourself - you need loads of common sense to be a JP. Being aware of the issues in a multicultural area is very important, but you aren't expected to know more than usual - it's much more important that you don't have prejudices and that you can deal fairly and impartially with all people under the law.

Thanks again BCBG.

Common sense I can do in bucket loads .

I don't have any conscious prejudices and by nature am very logical and deal with facts of matters rather than emotions.

Pleasingly I had confirmation of interview yesterday, coincidentally it came through while I was observing court again. (I don't suppose you were sitting in London yesterday by any chance??)