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Original poster

BECOMMING A MAGISTRATE, ANY COMMENTS?

26 replies

hifi · 23/09/2008 17:06

i have read the blurb, any magistrate's out there, whats it really like? any unpaid job satisfaction or frustrating.will i realistically be able to fit it around dd and school? tia.

OP posts:
TurkeyLurkey · 23/09/2008 17:10

Cod is one if you give her a shout. But don't know much about it myself.

Original poster
hifi · 23/09/2008 17:16

thanks, will go and find her.

OP posts:
FluffyMummy123 · 23/09/2008 18:01

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FluffyMummy123 · 23/09/2008 18:04

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Original poster
hifi · 23/09/2008 19:32

thanks cod, im sure i could arrange child care. they say its 26 a year, is that realistic or is it more?

OP posts:
FluffyMummy123 · 23/09/2008 19:35

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Original poster
hifi · 23/09/2008 19:44

i live near high crime areas and hear lots of police cars between 1am and 4am.i will start now then.

OP posts:
MadamAnt · 23/09/2008 19:50

Don't you find some of it a bit hard to bear though? The depressing cases? I thought about magging, but don't think I'd be able to shrug off the sad stuff.

spottyshoes · 23/09/2008 19:51

It's 16 a year in our area. am OR pm counts as 1 session. It can often be very slow and over run but you will have the abilty to do a lot of good! Good luck

Original poster
hifi · 23/09/2008 19:53

thank you, been involved in adoption for 6 years so know how depressing some people in society can be.

OP posts:
MadamAnt · 23/09/2008 19:57

Hmmm yes, it was particularly the child-related stuff I was thinking about. I really admire any folk who have the capacity to handle it. Lots of good luck to you!

FluffyMummy123 · 23/09/2008 20:06

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FluffyMummy123 · 23/09/2008 20:08

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mumof2222222222222222boys · 24/09/2008 13:14

I applied to be a Magistrate about 3 years ago. They invited me for interview almost immediately (although far too soon as I didn't have childcare sorted and hadn't been to court enough recently - although had a lot in the past). I have to say that although the first interview went well, I found the second one ghastly. Mainly due to the attitudes of the women on the panel. It quite put me off trying again. Specific eg

Me: I mentioned that I was delighted that they could offer childcare expenses.
Her: Oh I don't think we do that. We certainly didn't when my children were young (I'd be amazed if she was under 65 - looked older).
Me/Secretary: You do.
Her: Talked about my children and not the job.

Anyway, now working full time and unlikely to try again. Good luck to you.

longtall · 30/12/2008 22:15

I've got an interview next weds & am fairly nervous - any tips?!

longtall · 31/12/2008 11:10

Thank you for all the comments! So is the first interview a panel?! And are they all Women's Institute/Sergeant Major types?! I'll remember not to mention childcare...
All iCod's messages have been withdrawn. Any idea why?

SnowballsintheSky · 31/12/2008 11:18

My dad is a magistrate and absolutely loves it. He had an interview panel of fairly ordinary sorts, not very tough as far as he said. Then you have another session where you are given 'cases' to go through and to see what your conclusion would be, then explain your reasoning to the panel. I think there were about three interviews in all but he didn't find any of them a problem.

It takes up a lot of time though. I think it states something like two half days per month but he does a lot more than than, a lot of it covering for people.

A lot of it can be fairly mundane, speeding cameras and stuff and petty crime. Sometimes he gets something more involved. There are different panels, so you would have to be put forward separately for things like the youth court or the family court. I think that lessens the worst of cases unless you sign up for it. Like I say, he absolutely loves it.

Sorry I'm not Cod but my dad drones on about it enough so I've picked up a bit!

SnowballsintheSky · 31/12/2008 11:24

Sorry, one thing he did say about the interviews, was that they want to see you have an open mind. For example, if they present you with a case where the defendant seems to be a dead loss and is a repeat offender, they want to hear how you would fairly treat them, even if you think they want to hear that you'd lock them up and throw away the key.

I'll ask him a bit more about it tonight and see if he has any tips, don't take any notice of my say so! He did it about 3 years ago so fairly recently and he must have been ok since he is about the 90,000th middle class, middle aged white male on their books. Different always puts you a step ahead for a start.

longtall · 31/12/2008 11:44

Thank you Snowball - really appreciate this! I've observed a few times and seen some dead loss cases! It seems that they are always referred on for a probation report... A lot of the repeat offenders seem to not pay their fines, not turn up for community service or alcohol treatment, and are all on benefits, but the crimes are too trivial for custody (and it probably wouldn't help them or society). It seems difficult to know how to deal with them - other than more fines/ community service/asbo's. What would your dad do with them? I feel it's more about improving things for future generations (ie their kids if they have hem), but maybe I'm being too idealistic.

SnowballsintheSky · 31/12/2008 12:05

I think your last sentence is a good start!

I'm off out now as we're staying with family overnight and I have to find something glittery! If you think of anything you want to ask, stick it here and I'll quiz him tonight! He loves talking about it. I'll ask about the dead losses though

EyeballsintheSky · 04/01/2009 18:25

longtall, if you CAT me then I'll tell you what my dad said. He didn't think it was wise to write a guide to 'how to get round Magistrate's interviews' on here! Not that it's anything like that of course

stitch · 05/01/2009 00:27

years ago, cod gave me links on how to apply. but i didnt because of the place i was in at th e time.
can you post some links at all? i'd really like to apply . i did the court visits last time, but never actually filled out the forms.
tia

stitch · 05/01/2009 00:30

when cod left, they deleted all her messages.
a huge loss imo, as she contributed so much to this website, and the lives of many of us on mn. i hope she comes back.

longtall · 05/01/2009 22:24

Eyeballs, hi! What do you mean by CAT? Would love some advice from your dad! Sorry a bit new here... Feeling very nervous for wednesday...

EyeballsintheSky · 08/01/2009 10:32

Oh Longtail, I didn't see the thread had been bumped. So sorry. How did it go?

(CAT = the little yellow envelope on the right, contact off the board)

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