There are three to four papers in this exam, and the candidates selected in this exam shall be called for an interview round. They resented often sitting on traffic and transport cases, boring work which they thought could be done by other judges: When you have magistrates with high skill levels in life, often high skills academically and in work to give them the rump end of work cant sustain their interestyoure not told when youre interviewed that youll end up doing the crap. All levels of federal judges have law clerks: District Court judges (and sometimes even magistrates), Circuit Court judges, and Supreme Court justices. It is often highly regarded. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website. A study which took place in 2000 found that using lay magistrates cost 53.10 per hour, whereas using a district judge would cost 61.78 an hour. ", 'Intense' day for magistrates' court solicitor, Knife crime to Spice - a day in magistrates' court. Whether state court justices and judges have law clerks and the process of obtaining such clerkships will vary greatly from state to state. Thats all changed. Not representative - similar criticisms to judiciary being from middle-class and professional backgrounds "I find it really rewarding.". If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can 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. Helps ensure public confidence, different social groups get a say in justice. But she admits the time required to commit to the role - and the fact it's unpaid - can be a barrier to those still in full time work. By using this site, you allow the use of cookies, and you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. "They're making their own staff richer - it provides a wealth of experience that will help them with their careers," she said. Want help proofreading your work? It saddens me that applications are dwindling and as many approach the retirement age of 70 this could further deplete the numbers. In Wales we've seen 22 close, leaving 14. He is selected after qualifying for the UPSC exam, whereas a judicial magistrate is a civil officer appointed after qualifying for the state judiciary exam. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Carmine Proofreading with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Many of the interviewees felt the rewards of being a magistrate were great. Kevin said: The hardest aspect of the job for me is seeing people come back into the court, I call it the revolving door effect. The appointment procedure or eligibility criteria for a District Judge and a Civil Judge are different. * Magistrates are volunteers appointed by the Lord Chancellor. 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. Being a Magistrate is not usually a full-time job, nor is it paid. He or she must be of age group between 21 to 35 years (age differs from state to state). Once a magistrate has been appointed, they will undertake training on the necessary skills to sit in court. Despite having close to 17 years of judicial experience between . You will love them. My name is Ankur. Ironically, Roger's least favourite aspect of the job is sending people to jail. Reliance on Legal Advisor-no legal training, so can be swayed by legal advisor. Only 10 of the 51 magistrates from BAME backgrounds are in north Wales. Agnes Xavier-Phillips was a corporate lawyer who started her career in nursing, Ms Xavier-Phillips says magistrates have got to be representative "in more than one sense", Three magistrates sit on the bench during court cases, 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, Magistrates are supported by a legal assistant, or clerk - a qualified barrister or solicitor. A judge may require a law clerk to have passed the bar exam, but generally, a law clerk is not practicing and, thus, does not have to be a licensed attorney. Copyright Get Revising 2023 all rights reserved. A judge must be fair and impartial, doing everything for the sake of justice and nothing for the benefit of friends or family. 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. Read about our approach to external linking. As there are three magistrates on a bench, they can each offer their own perspective. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. It is an extremely competitive process and it can be very difficult to even land an interview with a federal judge. 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. "Some people are caught in the social trap. What do magistrates say about volunteering while working? Time spent on specialised panels like youth or family courts will increase that. Many others are rapidly approaching the compulsory retirement age of 70 which the House of Commons Justice Committee says could leave significant gaps in the role, unless recruitment improves. In the final piece in our series, we look at the magistrates themselves. I wanted to give that public face in the courts and to feel like Im giving something back to the community. Still, on the other hand, this profession requires a lot of hard work and dedication, from preparing for the judicial examination to becoming a judge. 10 Legal Jobs and Career Options After Law. "I think more young people should become involved," he said. 2023 BBC. Common cases magistrates deal with include drink driving, domestic abuse and assault however, they may also deal with trials and have to sit in youth court. Now you are just a number. Moreover, another disadvantage is that lay magistrates tend to be 'middle-class and middle-minded.'. Magistrates are ordinary people, with no need for prior legal knowledge, and they work unpaid. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. 2- Judges enjoys great honor in the society. 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. Will I get time off work to sit as a magistrate? This will offer an opportunity to select suitable qualified fresh legal talent through a proper all-India merit selection system. In addition, if the magistrates come from different backgrounds and have had different experiences, they should each be able to see the case in different ways and come to a just outcome. "We are really there as adjudicators, to look at both sides of the argument," he said. Magistrates embody one of the most important tenets of the criminal justice system - the principle that defendants are judged by their peers. There are many advantages of magistrates and being able to discuss these in your work can help you with essay questions. What are the benefits of clerking? It was quite a solemn occasion at the High Court at the Royal Courts of Justice. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. Hawara: 'What happened was horrific and barbaric'. However, they must have six key qualities: Good Character; Commitment and Reliability; Social Awareness; Sound Judgement; Understanding and Communication; and Maturity and Sound Temperament. Advantages? There can be threats if the decision by a judge is not favourable for a party or section of people. Fringe benefits of being a magistrate. Registered Charity (No. 'We dread the nights': Life under Israeli bombardment as Gazans live through the 'madness' again, Prince Philip 'had early and genuine interest in conservation', Prince Philip: 'A capacity for unbridled kindness but intolerant of faff' - my memories of the duke. Because Agnes is right - there's a perception magistrates are "more mature". All the interviewees were asked about the job satisfaction of being a magistrate. I have been a magistrate for 26 years and Im as enthusiastic as the first day I sat. This means that they can apply this to decisions, using their knowledge of the local news and area, for example. Live in local area as they know local news. Live in local area as they know local news. UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGES SALARY $185,012 per year; $15,418 per month Electronic Funds Transfer Taxation of Pay FEDERAL HEALTH INSURANCE 60 days from entrance on duty to elect coverage for self or family Fifteen plans (fee-for-service, HMO, CDHP, or HDHP) The salary for clerkships can also deter people from clerking. When addressing a counsel, litigant, or witness, a judge should avoid using a controversial tone or attitude. You also have to check the court list to make sure that you dont know any of the defendants personally. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. 4) They have a legal adviser to educate them with the current law Others complained bitterly about the new rota software system, which made it difficult for employed magistrates to schedule sittings. However, these costs are still much lower than the cost of replacing all the magistrates with judges, so magistrates remain the most cost-effective option. There are many benefits to employers supporting their staff to be magistrates. (LogOut/ Your email address will not be published. Depending on which type of court you are at, you could see anything from homicide cases to breach of contract lawsuits (and anything and everything in between!). Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE, Advantages and disadvantages of Magistrates. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. There are two categories of judicial service exams, and the eligibility criteria for both are different. When you look at a defendant regardless of the circumstances you look at them as human beings.. Magistrates deal mainly with minor or summary' offences such as public disorder and motoring offences. Some state appellate courts may even have staff attorneys whose job is to assist all of the judges, not just one particular judge. No need for prior legal knowledge, and website in this browser for the sake of justice their own.... Land an interview with a federal judge difficult to even land an round. I get time off work to sit as a magistrate were great very difficult to even an... Increase that are three to four papers in this exam shall be called for an interview a... Judge must be fair and impartial, doing everything for the next time I comment quite a occasion! 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