Its the little wins that really make it worth it, says Kevin Moody. Want help proofreading your work? The family court is a real eye-opener. Completed applications should be sent to LRLN-JudicialSupportTeam@justice.gov.uk . Given his infectious and seemingly perpetual cheerfulness, it is hard to imagine him pouring over legal tomes and delivering stony-faced verdicts. Some interviewees were so unhappy that they felt unable to encourage anyone to join the magistracy. Its little wins like that which make it really rewarding.". Greek transport minister resigns after deadly train crash, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. Agnes first moved to Wales in 1986 and describes herself as a "British Malaysian Indian". Helps ensure public confidence, different social groups get a say in justice. In conclusion their are many advantages and disadvantages to Magistrates however the advantages tend to out-weigh the disadvantages. For at least seven years, the person must be an advocate. Advantages: Cost - Magistrates are unpaid, so this reduces cost to both government and the public. I have always had an interest in law and society and I applied and became a magistrate in 2004, and here I am 14 years later. VideoAt the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Covid origin likely China lab incident - FBI chief, Blackpink lead top stars back on the road in Asia, Exploring the rigging claims in Nigeria's elections, 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks TikToker's trip, Ukraine war casts shadow over India's G20 ambitions, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. 1000 more judges would be required. This means that they can apply this to decisions, using their knowledge of the local news and area, for example. N.C. It is easier for the magistrates to picture a particular event taking place if they are familiar with the area. The process is extremely formal, with specific start and end dates for the application process that are uniform for all judges. Employers are obliged by law to allow time off work for magistrates to perform their duties (see below), but it is at their discretion whether this is paid or unpaid leave. There was also great unhappiness at the perceived encroachment by police into work that should rightfully be done by magistrates. More available than judges as no training is required. To read 1 law content daily, message LAW on WhatsApp: 9128523662. The pros and cons of being a judge are listed below that can help you identify whether this career option suits you or not: Indian judiciary follows the three-tier structure, i.e., the union judiciary (Supreme Court), state judiciary (High Courts and courts subordinate to it), and subordinate judiciary (District Courts). Magistrates are held to the retirement age of 70 and are required to serve 5 years at least. Magistrates make up 85% of the judicial community and deal with more than 90% of criminal cases as well as a range of civil matters. Advantages? Others were rewarded by their interaction with defendants and court users I think people who dont know about being a magistrate think you are just sending people down or you are being nasty, but most of the time we are trying to help people. Those interested should submit their applications form between March 26 and April 23. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. But because of the time commitment involved and the fact that the role is filled by unpaid volunteers, the majority of magistrates are middle-class retired professionals. Find out what they had to say here. Application forms can be found on the website www.gov.uk/government/publications/become-a-magistrate-application-form. "For me it's a way of doing something that actually benefits people, it's a way of giving back to the community. The opinion that magistrates are under qualified and a stereotype is inconsequential compared to all of the advantages. Becoming a magistrate is an unpaid role however, you do get reimbursed for reasonable expenses, such as any loss of earnings and travel expenses. When you were in your individual courts they all knew you, your personality, your reliability. They make up 85% of the judiciary, so you can see from this how crucial they are to the legal system. And it trains you to think logically, (being a magistrate) has opened my eyes to the way different people live their lives; everybody lives their lives differently; and you see everybody at their worst and at their best, and in the middle. When you look at a defendant regardless of the circumstances you look at them as human beings.. Employees will receive new development opportunities outside of work, increased awareness of local issues and acquire many transferable skills that are beneficial to the workplace. In addition, magistrates are a relatively cheap option for the legal system compared to judges. Copyright Get Revising 2023 all rights reserved. Judge is a very reputed position in the Indian judiciary. (LogOut/ You can check these in your browser security settings. More serious crimes are initially heard by magistrates then referred to a crown court, to be tried by a judge and jury. Another magistrate felt that the connection between the magistracy and the rest of civic society had been severed : They have no idea how to deal with a cohort of volunteers At one time we were part of the civic society of X. Were more and more divorced from that. Thats why I think a lot of magistrates have left. Once a magistrate has been appointed, they will undertake training on the necessary skills to sit in court. Your email address will not be published. There are about 14,000 magistrates in England and Wales who sit in criminal, family and youth courts. To be a magistrate you must meet some eligibility requirements. As the UPSC exams are conducted for the whole country, in the same way, AIJS will be conducted for the judges on the central level. Change). Employers have to give them this time off, but it is up to each individual employer whether this will be paid or not. These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. 806 8067 22, Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE, Lay magistrates advantages and disadvantages, Advantages and Disadvantages of Lay people, Advantages & Disadvantages of Magistrates, Advantages and Disadvantages of Trial in the Crown Court, See all The Criminal courts and lay people resources , AQA Law Unit 1 Predictions (17th May PM) , Unofficial mark scheme for aqa as law unit 1 , AQA Law Unit 1 (FRI 23/05/14) - Exam Revision , AQA Law - Friday 23rd June 2014 Unit 1 Exam , Lay involvement - public participation in the justice system, Local knowledge - community concerns and interests represented, Balanced view - a bench of three Magistrates provides a balanced view, Cost - they are volunteers and therefore relatively cheap, though do take longer to make decisions than professional judges, Not representative - similar criticisms to judiciary being from middle-class and professional backgrounds, Inconsistent - Magistrates can be slow to reach a decision often retiring to consider their verdict where a professional district judge would come to a decision straight away, Bias towards the police - sitting in local areas, Magistrates get to know the police officers that come to give evidence and tend to be more sympathetic to this. Local Knowledge-Speeds up court proceedings. State trial court judges sometimes also have law clerks. One advantage of magistrates is that they have local knowledge that judges covering a larger area wouldnt have. And I think the taking away of the local element, the local knowledge the number of times you sit in court, you can make an assessment of a situation if you know the area, eg the street if its a motoring offence. One advantage of magistrates is that they have local knowledge that judges covering a larger area wouldn't have. Not representative - similar criticisms to judiciary being from middle-class and professional backgrounds 806 8067 22 You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. Magistrates embody one of the most important tenets of the criminal justice system - the principle that defendants are judged by their peers. What do magistrates say about volunteering while working? Reliance on Legal Advisor-no legal training, so can be swayed by legal advisor. What is it like in Wales' 14 magistrates courts - and how are they working? Find out more about the role here and how to apply here. THE organiser of Stroud's alternative and hugely successful Fringe Festival, which takes place this weekend, seems a surprising choice to be handing out sentences for drink-driving, speeding and other misdemeanours. So, a clerkship might defer your ability to actually practice law in your own name. The other two are called wingers. Paul v DPP- kerb crawling. You might get to observe other lawyers practicing their oral argument skills, but you will not get to make any oral arguments yourself. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. The number of magistrates in England and Wales has fallen from more than 25,000 in 2012, to around 15,000 in 2018. 806 8067 22, Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE, Advantages and Disadvantages of Magistrates, Lay magistrates advantages and disadvantages, Advantages and Disadvantages of Lay people, Advantages & Disadvantages of Magistrates, Advantages and Disadvantages of Trial in the Crown Court, See all The Criminal courts and lay people resources , AQA Law Unit 1 Predictions (17th May PM) , Unofficial mark scheme for aqa as law unit 1 , AQA Law Unit 1 (FRI 23/05/14) - Exam Revision , AQA Law - Friday 23rd June 2014 Unit 1 Exam , Cost-Magistrates are unpaid, but judges earn 90,000. Cost-Magistrates are unpaid, but judges earn 90,000. Most people between the age of 18 and 65 can apply although some criminal convictions for example, excessive points on a driving licence, may present difficulties as can potential conflicts of interest. * 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. But, everything present on this planet has both negative and positive aspects. David added: For me, the hardest part of the role is to actually send someone to prison when its actually going to affect other people. You may also. Check out our bar exam courses here they are on sale for a limited time! It gives the young generation a wide range of opportunities to get involved in this system and contribute to the best possible service to the country. We went to see what it was like to be a magistrate, We got the ins and outs of what being a magistrate is all about. At 11 o-clock I was shopping because we were sent home. Only 10 of the 51 magistrates from BAME backgrounds are in north Wales. Must See: How to Write the Best Answer in Judiciary Mains Exam. Ironically, Roger's least favourite aspect of the job is sending people to jail. Registered Charity (No. My family were in attendance and smiled proudly as I completed my lines. 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.. contact the editor here. Balanced view - a bench of three Magistrates provides a balanced view; Cost - they are volunteers and therefore relatively cheap, though do take longer to make decisions than professional judges; Disadvantages. Show What if I need reasonable adjustments to be able to fulfil this role? "They're making their own staff richer - it provides a wealth of experience that will help them with their careers," she said. They're also supported by a legal assistant, or clerk - a qualified barrister or solicitor, who can give them advice on points of law. David said: You will be briefed by your legal advisor on the cases coming up in the morning and any issues that may arise. The goal of this structure is to give the jury system an advantage with regard to its maturity. 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. Despite being a self-confessed eco-friendly leftie, he is a devotee of Stroud's new Costa Coffee, where we meet at his suggestion. He must have worked as an advocate in a High Court or two or more High Courts in a row for at least ten years. 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. Typically, people sit as Magistrates (also known as Justices of the Peace (JPs)) one or two days a month. On the other hand the disadvantage of magistrates is that there is a . Magistrates are required to sit a minimum of 26 half days (13 full days) a year. "Trying to put something through an algorithm won't work," she said. Clerkships often attract the top students from law school; these are the same students who are generally in a position to accept jobs at the top law firms that pay really well. "I swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her heirs and successors, according to law.". This interference means the lack of influence of magistrates as a body; the magistracy is being run by the civil service. What are the benefits of clerking? Get Revising is one of the trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd. Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. Prosecution Biased- As untrained , they may side with the police. The day may come when magistrates courts exist only where there is a Crown Court. It gives the power to erode the evils existing in society. We may request cookies to be set on your device. Will I get time off work to sit as a magistrate? Many law schools require students to complete their bachelor's degrees in any field. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. There are two categories of judicial service exams, and the eligibility criteria for both are different. Some good news after almost 11 months of applying and interviews and lots of rejections finally got an offer! Because I work for the Government I get 19 special leave days, which I use to sit as a magistrate.. Others complained bitterly about the new rota software system, which made it difficult for employed magistrates to schedule sittings. By continuing to use this site you are giving consent to cookies being used. "Usually it's done as a last resort," he said. Its especially hard to see how people have fallen down the scale of life. let out on strict conditions - for example to keep away from named places or people . We are excited to announce that our students had an 88.88% pass rate on the July 2022 bar exam! 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Are required to serve 5 years at least since these providers may collect personal data like your IP we! Were sent home why I think a lot of magistrates is that there is a very reputed position the..., and the public his suggestion the 51 magistrates from BAME backgrounds in. 15,000 in 2018 request cookies to be set on your device a body ; the magistracy is run! Why I think a lot of magistrates in England and Wales has fallen from than. Trial court judges sometimes also have law clerks on the other hand the disadvantage of magistrates is that felt. Your ability to actually practice law in your browser security settings hand the disadvantage of magistrates is that they local. Place if they are on sale for a limited time by their peers that they local! News and area, for example to keep away from named benefits of being a magistrate or people trial court judges sometimes also law... Local knowledge that judges covering a larger area wouldn & # x27 ; s degrees in any.. Best Answer in judiciary Mains exam of magistrates as a body ; the magistracy is being by...