This article is part of the series: Courts of England and Wales |
Law of England and Wales |
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In England and Wales, magistrates (/ˈmædʒɪstrət/;[1] Welsh: ynad)[2] are trained volunteers, selected from the local community, who deal with a wide range of criminal and civil proceedings.[3] They are also known as Justices of the Peace.[3] In the adult criminal court, magistrates decide on offences that carry up to twelve months in prison, or an unlimited fine.[4] Magistrates also sit in the family court where they help resolve disputes that involve children, and in the youth court, which deals with criminal matters involving young people aged 10-17.[5] Established in the 14th century, the magistracy is a key part of the judiciary of England and Wales,[6] and it is a role underpinned by the principles of 'local justice' and 'justice by one's peers'.[6]
Magistrates typically sit as a bench of three,[7] mixed in gender, age and ethnicity where possible, to bring a broad experience of life to the bench. They can sit alone to hear warrant applications[8] or deal with uncontested matters heard under the single justice procedure.[9][10] All members of the bench have equal decision-making powers, but only the chairman, known as the Presiding Justice (PJ), speaks in court and presides over proceedings.[11] Magistrates are not required to have legal qualification; they are assisted in court by a legal adviser, who is a qualified solicitor or barrister, and who will ensure that the court is properly directed regarding the law.[12]
According to official statistics for diversity of the judiciary in 2021, 56% of sitting magistrates were women, 13% were Black, Asian and minority ethnic, and 82% aged above 50 as at 1 April 2021.[13] There were 12,651 magistrates in 2021, which has fallen steadily in recent years, decreasing by 50% from 25,170 since 2012.[13]