Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Application forms can be found on the website www.gov.uk/government/publications/become-a-magistrate-application-form. Nor will you have the opportunity to sign your own name to anything that you prepare. He said: I was the director on the London Underground and I started sitting as a magistrate whilst I was still working. I put to her the point made by criminal solicitor Katy Hanson, that while there are flaws in the system, it's preferable to digitally entering a crime and plea and waiting for a computer to decide your fate. 2023 BBC. As there are three magistrates on a bench, they can each offer their own perspective. That is pure and simple bureaucracy gone mad., at one time, justice was seen to be done locally. I would encourage anyone to investigate the prospect of a life on the bench, it is both enlightening and rewarding. We had one man who was a regular drug user and he had been in and out of court many times. A graduate can become a judge by giving the Civil Judge exam conducted by the Public Service Commission. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused. And once you move justice from the local area I think it loses something, in the eyes of the people in those local areas. They knew what they could get you to do and not to do. Justices of the Peace should be able to listen to all sides of an argument and arrive at fair and reasonable decisions - a quality which I test continuously during domestic disputes between my three children. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Most of us will hope never to set foot in one, but thousands end up appearing in court each year. To be a magistrate you must meet some eligibility requirements. A few months later I saw him working in Asda. They are an integral part of the justice system and as such need to be nurtured and supported. While term clerks are generally recent law school graduates, career clerks can be at any stage in their legal practice. Magistrates resented wasting their precious time in the retiring room, while trials collapsed and they waited for CPS or defence practitioners to be ready. Judges often hire law clerks one to two years in advance of the date on which the clerk will actually start working for the judge. We may request cookies to be set on your device. It saddens me that applications are dwindling and as many approach the retirement age of 70 this could further deplete the numbers. Mains examination is a subjective paper. Looking to pass the MPRE? As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. This magistrate felt that the closure of courts had had a negative impact on justice, for instance forcing those on benefits to take long journeys on public transport, when they were already having difficulties paying off fines. The Best Part about the Uniform Bar Exam? Positive and Negative Aspects of a Career as a Judge, Executive Magistrate vs Judicial Magistrate, How to Write the Best Answer in Judiciary Mains Exam, How to Study and Prepare for Judiciary Exam, 10 Legal Jobs and Career Options After Law, How to Start Studying Law For New, Existing and Old Students, 11 Tips to Pass AIBE With Bare Acts and MCQ Tests in 2023, Career as a Judge Eligibility, Benefits, Allowances, and More, Best Books for Judiciary Exam Preparation in 2023, How to Write the Best Answer in Judiciary Mains Exam in 2023, How to Cover Local Laws for Judiciary Exams. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. This helps to keep peoples faith in the legal system and makes it easier for it to run smoothly. What are Magistrates? More than half were over 60. You can also change some of your preferences. Earn your bachelor's degree. 7A-170 and 7A-143. It sounds very pompous but essentially magistrates - although they're not social workers - can end up making decisions that affect the course of individuals' lives in a positive way. A Gannett Company. Follow these steps to become a successful magistrate: 1. "Trying to put something through an algorithm won't work," she said. Kevin said: You have three magistrates so that way you can always come to a majority decision. * Employers are obliged to give magistrates time off work under the Employment Rights Act 1996, and if they choose not to pay them the state will refund their earnings. 806 8067 22 "Defendants are supposed to be judged by their peers but how can that work when you're in your 60s and there's a 25-year-old in the dock?". There are two types of clerkships: term clerks and career clerks. We find this increasingly difficult to accept. Section 50 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 states that An employer shall permit an employee of his who is a justice of the peace to take time off during the employees working hours for the purpose of performing any of the duties of the office. They are an integral part of the justice system and as such need to be nurtured and supported. Ironically, Roger's least favourite aspect of the job is sending people to jail. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. This is because of law students, advocates, judges and professors like you, who give me satisfaction, hope and the motivation to keep working. Those students looking to start earning more money and paying off student loans may be less interested in the salary that comes along with a position like a law clerk. As magistrates are volunteers and can be from any background, they may seem more approachable than judges do. Term clerks often serve in the position for 1 to 3 years. VideoRecord numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. 4) Having no autonomy or influence over resources. It is a sitting job, and youll be doing the same work every day. The length of time since they committed the offence is also a factor. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. You have powers that are often life changing to people. The magistracy benefits from having younger people in it, and younger people benefit from having been a part of the magistracy too. R v Bingham ex parte Jowitt 1974. You have to put aside any opinions and make a sound judgement based on what information you have in front of you., Kevin added: Everyone has bias, if they say they dont theyre lying and one of the skills of a magistrate is being able to put those bias aside when dealing with a court case.. Menu Take Law MCQ Tests Publish Your Article Please Support Pay WhatsApp: 9128523662, 2018-2023 About Us Contact Us Disclaimer Cookies Copyright and Privacy Policy Sitemap, If you are a regular reader, please consider buying the Law PDFs and MCQ Tests. A woman described a day in court, which she had taken off work : today I sat at X and spent most of the time doing nothing, because of the administration of the courts. Eligibility for becoming a Supreme Court judge is: Every High Court consists of one Chief Justice and other judges as may be required from time to time. Let us discuss whether becoming a judge will be a fruitful career for you or not. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. There are three to four papers in this exam, and the candidates selected in this exam shall be called for an interview round. "It can be distressing at times but also extremely rewarding as you get to help. Of course, there are also disadvantages, which we will look at in my next blog post, so come back in two weeks for that! Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. Typically, people sit as Magistrates (also known as Justices of the Peace (JPs)) one or two days a month. Health Requirements There are no big health requirements and no medical exam will need to be taken. Also, the training given to every magistrate can be expensive. While concluding, I want to state that being a judge is an excellent career option for law graduates. Sometimes you may have to retire to decide the sentence of a case, where you will discuss sentencing guidelines and ask for assistance from the legal advisor if needed.. The work of magistrates goes largely unknown - so here is a rundown of what they do. Another aspect which is difficult is when people are blatantly lying or they say no comment in court. State court judges and justices also hire law clerks. 49%are women. There are many benefits to employers supporting their staff to be magistrates. R v Birmingham Magistrates ex parte Ahmed. A law clerk is often a recent graduate. With two successful careers behind her - firstly as a nurse, then as a corporate lawyer based in London - she wanted "to reconnect with Wales". It gives the power to erode the evils existing in society. A career as a judge will surely give you financial and job security. While they are paid expenses and compensated for loss of earnings, magistrates attend court for a minimum of 26 half-day sessions a year. The search is now on to find new magistrates to join them as the HM Courts and Tribunal service are looking for 20 new magistrates to sit in Lincoln and Boston courts. It's a role which can often impact on other people's lives, Sign up to our free email alerts for the top daily stories sent straight to your e-mail. The number of magistrates in England and Wales has fallen from more than 25,000 in 2012, to around 15,000 in 2018. Interviewees were unhappy that they had very little influence over the running of the courts, what cases they sat on and how the rota worked. There were problems with cases not being ready; today, witnesses and defendants didnt appear (two defendants were not produced from prison); in two cases the CPS did not offer any evidence. A judge must be fair and impartial, doing everything for the sake of justice and nothing for the benefit of friends or family. Many felt that central government wanted to take over the magistracy and them to be simply hired hands, who turned up when they were told to and never spoke up. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can "They're making their own staff richer - it provides a wealth of experience that will help them with their careers," she said. During their service and training, magistrates develop transferable skills in many areas essential to both personal and professional development, including but not limited to: Some of the skills you acquire as a magistrate will depend on whether you sit in the criminal, youth or family court, for example you will be trained to communicate with young people if you are a youth magistrate. And when you have that eye-opener, it makes you sometimes a better person, sitting with different people with different ways of thinking it helps you develop as a person. Check out our bar exam courses here they are on sale for a limited time! Will I get time off work to sit as a magistrate? Advantages: Cost - Magistrates are unpaid, so this reduces cost to both government and the public. Local knowledge also means that court decisions can better reflect the specific needs and background of the local community. "Even if they're repeated offences, you still have to look through each offence, and we have to think 'how can we help them', rather than putting them through some sausage machine. My name is Ankur. Find out about how being a magistrate can benefit you as an employee. Why did you decide to become a magistrate? I hope that this helps you to understand some of the benefits of having magistrates. What do magistrates say about volunteering while working? "I think more young people should become involved," he said. Its so sad. This exam is conducted state-wise. Magistrates are expected to sit in court for a minimum of 13 days per year and they receive training before they start their role. "Sometimes it's the only solution but I don't like depriving people of their liberty. The amount of time an employee is permitted to take and the circumstances in which this time is taken must be considered by the employer to be reasonable with regard to. After this, they will start to hear cases, sitting in benches of three. Being a magistrate offers employees new learning opportunities and a focus beyond work as well as an increased understanding of local issues. The length of the term is generally determined in advance and sometimes there is an opportunity to extend the term for one or more additional years. No formal qualifications are required but potential magistrates must go through a selection process, which includes rigorous screening. Another agreed: for me, its less about remuneration than about the efficiency of the process I feel Id be valued more if there werent days like I had today. 4) They have a legal adviser to educate them with the current law There can be threats if the decision by a judge is not favourable for a party or section of people. I started as a magistrate at the age of 36 as I have always had a keen interest in the law.