We need more feminist magistrates

[IAmNotAGirl]

More magistrates are urgently needed and they want more variety, there are lots of articulate women on here

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10433569/Officials-search-4-000-new-magistrates-huge-recruitment-drive-beat-case-backlog-courts.html

Thank you so much for all the kind words. We are so immensely proud of DD and whatever the outcome would have been, good on her for going for it and trying to make the bench more representative.

I haven't listened, but this Woman's Hour episode from Jan 22, discusses the latest recruitment for magistrates.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0013rb0?at_custom1=%5Bpost+type%5D&at_custom4=CC5491A6-7E12-11EC-8FB5-17D596E8478F&at_medium=custom7&at_custom2=twitter&at_campaign=64&at_custom3=%40BBCWomansHour

What are people doing about Family Court applications (for which we can't observe cases) or is that something that is generally Not Recommended for first time applicants?

I sat in on a session at my nearest magistrate court this morning. It wasn't as intimidating as I imagined it would be so I'm planning on another visit then going ahead with my application.

@MillicentFaucet that is great to hear. Did you get to hear just one case or lots of smaller cases? How helpful were the court staff?

I was interested that the magistrates' vacancies page say they welcome applications from under-represented backgrounds and one of those was anyone under 50! Also from non-professional/managerial backgrounds. I am pleased they are actively seeking to be more representative of the population.

The session lasted just under three hours with five cases being heard. A mix of short updates from parole board & remand cases where the bench retired to deliberate. The last one involved images of CSA so I decided to call it a day and have a good think about everything I'd seen & heard.
The court staff were all helpful and welcoming, the usher took time out of what looked liked a crammed afternoon schedule to answer my (probably daft) questions.