Lay Magistrate

Many of the legal decisions made in England and Wales are taken by magistrates. These are ordinary people who do not need to have any previous connection to the law profession. What they do have is a sense of fairness. They also have the ability to listen, make rational judgements and be proud representatives of their communities.

They volunteer for at least 13 days, plus training, a year to hear all sorts of cases in our courts. As the role is unpaid, they tend to do this alongside other work commitments (full or part-time) or they may be retired or otherwise not working. If you’re self-employed or you have to sit unpaid because your employer does not grant paid leave for community service (but some employers do give unpaid leave), you can claim loss of earnings of up to £135 per day. You’re also entitled to travel and subsistence expenses.

As a magistrate, you choose initially whether you want to sit in the adult criminal court or in the family court. Once trained and experienced you can sit in either or both and later there may also be opportunities to sit in the youth court.

You’ll have support from a legal adviser who’ll ensure you always follow the correct guidelines and procedures. Plus, you’ll work with two other magistrate volunteers, one of whom will be the lead magistrate.

As a new magistrate, you’ll receive training locally and through the Judicial College. Your training will be delivered through some face-to-face sessions, as well as via online learning. This will include:

• an initial half-day training session

• a three or five-day introductory training programme

• a mentor – an experienced magistrate – to help you learn and develop as you settle into the role.

After your first year, refresher training continues throughout your service – exactly how it works and what it covers will depend on whether you’re sitting in criminal or family court. All our training is free, and you’ll receive expenses for the days you attend.

What skills do I need?

You don’t need legal experience or any special qualifications. What matters is your strong communication skills, your sense of fairness, and your ability to consider different sides of an argument in a professional way. We look for people from diverse backgrounds because it’s important for magistrates to have a good understanding of the community and be able to represent the communities we support. So, you should enjoy representing your local area and helping to change it for the better. We welcome and encourage applications from all groups, including those with a disability who are able, either unassisted or with reasonable adjustments, to carry out the full range of magistrate duties.

You’ll need to be 18 to 74 years old and of good character with sound judgement.

When do I need to be available?

	Morning	Afternoon	Evening
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

Details

Courts normally sit Monday to Friday, although there is occasional Saturday morning work and, for those who are on the 'Warrants Panel', out of hours work deciding whether to issue search warrants.