Magistrates

1- Application

2- Role of Advisory Committee (group, select Magistrates) (check for disqualification, balancing factors, age, gender, ethnicity, political affiliation, employment)

3- Two stage interview (key qualities, judicial skills)

4- Reccommendation for appointment

1- background checks (ministry of justice

2- appointment by Lord chancellor/ Secretary of State for justice

3- appointment on behalf of the crown

4- initial training (role of mentor)

5- swearing in

• criminal jurisdiction (summary, either-way, indictable only offences)- trial/ sentencing/ committal of sentence/ sending for trial
• warrants
• bail
• youth court
• family jurisdiction/ examples of work
• licensing appeals panel
• enforcement of local taxes
• role of crown court appeals

• lay perspective (ordinary people from community
• local knowledge (sit in court near to home town)
• cheaper than professional judiciary (paid expenses and loss of earnings)
• positive aspects of shared decision making (3 heads better than one)

(ELS= English Legal System)

• not legally qualified (more likely to misapply the law)
• over-reliance on the legal adviser
• inconsistency (bail and sentencing decisions criticised)
• local bias (eg repeat offenders and 'headline' offences)
• 'middle aged, middle class, middle minded' (issues to do with background of magistrates)