Get Revising is one of the trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd. Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. Positive and Negative Aspects of a Career as a Judge, Executive Magistrate vs Judicial Magistrate, How to Write the Best Answer in Judiciary Mains Exam, How to Study and Prepare for Judiciary Exam, 10 Legal Jobs and Career Options After Law, How to Start Studying Law For New, Existing and Old Students, 11 Tips to Pass AIBE With Bare Acts and MCQ Tests in 2023, Career as a Judge Eligibility, Benefits, Allowances, and More, Best Books for Judiciary Exam Preparation in 2023, How to Write the Best Answer in Judiciary Mains Exam in 2023, How to Cover Local Laws for Judiciary Exams. Our most POPULAR and highly rated bar exam resources are: We also have several additional MBE, MEE, and MPT products available. Copyright Get Revising 2023 all rights reserved. 4) Having no autonomy or influence over resources. Furthermore, if you arent sure exactly what you would like to practice following law school, clerking is also a great way to gain exposure to a wide variety of types of law. Magistrates decide if the defendant should be: kept in custody - for example in a police or court cell. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. Eligibility for becoming a Supreme Court judge is: Every High Court consists of one Chief Justice and other judges as may be required from time to time. And I think that value has certainly been eroded. Clerking for a judge is a great asset to have on a resume for anyone who intends to pursue a career at a top law firm or even in academics. What do magistrates say about volunteering while working? Moreover, the states decide the eligibility and time for conducting the judge exams according to the vacancies available. All the interviewees were asked about the job satisfaction of being a magistrate. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to The number of candidates selected in this round depends upon the vacancies available at that time. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. The preliminary examination is an MCQ-based paper, and the person qualifying for this exam will be entitled to appear for the mains examination. But Roger Sanders, who also works as a gardener, has been dispensing down-to-earth justice since he became a magistrate 12 years ago. He was also national chairman for England and Wales for three years. 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. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. 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. 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. Judges safeguard the courts dignity in society without being biased or putting themselves in a risky position. "We are really there as adjudicators, to look at both sides of the argument," he said. I had enough money not to work anymore but I still wanted to give something back to the community and I had always had an interest in the law. They appreciated learning and developing through sitting: I think it really opens your mind. I put to her the point made by criminal solicitor Katy Hanson, that while there are flaws in the system, it's preferable to digitally entering a crime and plea and waiting for a computer to decide your fate. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. Must See: How to Write the Best Answer in Judiciary Mains Exam. The manager threatened the magistrate with a disciplinary process. Greek transport minister resigns after deadly train crash, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. State court judges and justices also hire law clerks. Your email address will not be published. 2023 BBC. Principal correspondent at Catch, Suhas studied engineering and wrote code for a living before moving to writing mystery-shrouded-pall-of-gloom crime stories. Read Next: 1. As a magistrate I feel like Im giving something back and helping put people on the right path.. The primary difference between a judicial magistrate and an executive magistrate is that a judicial magistrate can handle all the cases and grant punishment for up to 3 years. I had five trials, but it was shambolic, and only two were kind of done. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. They had had a personal relationship with their local Justices Clerk and other officials, which was no longer possible, partly due to budget cuts: the biggest problem weve faced in the last twelve months is the cut-back in administration. 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. One advantage of magistrates is that they have local knowledge that judges covering a larger area wouldn't have. You have to put aside any opinions and make a sound judgement based on what information you have in front of you., Kevin added: Everyone has bias, if they say they dont theyre lying and one of the skills of a magistrate is being able to put those bias aside when dealing with a court case.. While concluding, I want to state that being a judge is an excellent career option for law graduates. When addressing a counsel, litigant, or witness, a judge should avoid using a controversial tone or attitude. A number of magistrates complained that the pace of change was swift and that the training was inadequate. 50% of magistrates above 60 but most defendants under 25. This exam is conducted state-wise. 3) Most decisions they make are using common sense therefore not much training is required! I find all the interference behind the scenes which blocks us from doing what we want to do totally and utterly irritating. Many supportive employers allow magistrates leave for their public duties in addition to their normal holiday entitlement. 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. 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. More available than judges as no training is required. it is no longer local justice, its something rather more brutal than that. ", 'Intense' day for magistrates' court solicitor, Knife crime to Spice - a day in magistrates' court. A graduate can become a judge by giving the Civil Judge exam conducted by the Public Service Commission. 7A-170 and 7A-143. 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Those who had sat for many years felt their relationship with the court service had declined considerably. They are an integral part of the justice system and as such need to be nurtured and supported. But away from the court, magistrates are everyday people who give up their time to give something back to the community. I am given 18 days a year sitting in court and my employers are really good with giving me the relevant time off. In the Governments view, a properly framed All India Judicial Service will significantly strengthen the overall justice delivery system. Justices of the Peace should be able to listen to all sides of an argument and arrive at fair and reasonable decisions - a quality which I test continuously during domestic disputes between my three children. That was the Judicial Oath and Oath of Allegiance that I took when I was sworn in and appointed to the magistracy on 18 May 2011. Best Answer Writing Tips for Law Exams 2. Students can directly give the judicial service exam after graduation to become a member of the subordinate judiciary. There are three to four papers in this exam, and the candidates selected in this exam shall be called for an interview round. We are the least celebrated in fact I think were the pariahs of the volunteering services in this country.. "My wife said, go on, you could do that' and off I went.". Thats why I think a lot of magistrates have left. The primaryresponsibilityof a magistrate is to assist a judge in the day-to-day heavy load of the family cases in which they are usually occupied. We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Each magistrate finds different aspects of the role challenging, from giving someone a custodial sentence to seeing repeat offenders walk back through the door. Ironically, Roger's least favourite aspect of the job is sending people to jail. Once a magistrate has been accepted, they will undergo training to make sure they are ready for the role. Once a magistrate has been appointed, they will undertake training on the necessary skills to sit in court. They are an integral part of the justice system and as such need to be nurtured and supported. Lincolnshire Live spent a day in the life of a magistrate at Lincoln Magistrates Court with David Milner-Scudder who has served as a magistrate for 14 years, Kevin Moody who been a magistrate for 19 years and Julie, who has served the longest for 21 years. Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. Paul v DPP- kerb crawling. Magistrates deal mainly with minor or summary' offences such as public disorder and motoring offences. As being said that they handle very limited types of cases, these types include (but can vary from state to state): Child Support, Alimony, custody issues, family issues, family property use. Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. Get Revising is one of the trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd. Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. 1000 more judges would be required. You have powers that are often life changing to people. let out on strict conditions - for example to keep away from named places or people . Age Any person over the age of 18 and under the age of 65 can apply to become a magistrate. We will also look more closely at the magistrates themselves and consider the benefits they bring. The most talked-about (and most prestigious) clerkship is that for a federal judge. All levels of federal judges have law clerks: District Court judges (and sometimes even magistrates), Circuit Court judges, and Supreme Court justices. 3- Judges have practically unlimited power to make things better.. No doubt, judges can make a life changing differences in many cases. Given his infectious and seemingly perpetual cheerfulness, it is hard to imagine him pouring over legal tomes and delivering stony-faced verdicts. A judge must hear both the parties (prosecution and defence). In this post, we explain what a judicial clerkship is and the pros and cons of taking such a position! Get Revising is one of the trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd. Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. Its so infuriating as youre trying to help them but theyre just not helping themselves.. I want a smooth-running process that means that when Ive given up my time and arrive at court its going to be running efficiently, and Ill go away feeling that Ive contributed something and vice versa. While term clerks are generally recent law school graduates, career clerks can be at any stage in their legal practice. "I find it really rewarding.". Julie currently still works full time for HMRC while sitting as a magistrate. Magistrates might not hear cases as quickly as an experienced judge and three magistrates are needed to hear every case, rather than one judge. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. N.C. Magistrates tend to be middle aged. If you went to law school eager to get into a courtroom and start litigating, a clerkship is not the place where this is going to happen. On being accepted as an intern at Livemint in 2010, he etched PRESS onto his scooter. 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. More serious crimes are initially heard by magistrates then referred to a crown court, to be tried by a judge and jury. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Carmine Proofreading, 20172022. * Magistrates are volunteers appointed by the Lord Chancellor. The exam will promote the right talent from lower levels to higher levels. "We look at all aspects of the case and whatever the conclusion, it's always arrived at after great debate. Many supportive employers allow magistrates leave for their public duties in addition to their normal holiday entitlement. Term clerks often serve in the position for 1 to 3 years. We may request cookies to be set on your device. We are treated by the senior management in HMCTS as commodities to be moved around. Julie said that the hardest part for her is seeing people who are there who have lost everything: The thing I find hard is people who are in front of the court for no fault of their own. What's he waiting for? Magistrates embody one of the most important tenets of the criminal justice system - the principle that defendants are judged by their peers. "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.". They are unpaid but receive allowances to cover expenses. Of course, magistrates are not entirely free there are still some costs associated with them. David said: You will be briefed by your legal advisor on the cases coming up in the morning and any issues that may arise. They are not a true cross-section of people from the local community and may be seen to have little in common with young defendants, which took lead to them enforcing a wrong decision. "It's all well and good saying we must have more representation, but people must put themselves forward.". The other two are called wingers. For me its a way of doing something that actually benefits people, its a way of giving back to the community. Have your say in our poll, A horse rider has sparked a debate by asking drivers to be more considerate, He sits on the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee for Lincolnshire, He is also vice chairman for the Deepings raft race, Other charities he helps include the East Anglia Air Ambulance and Deepings Age Concern, He has served as a magistrate for 19 years, Previously he was director of the London Underground, He is currently chair of the board at Leicester prison, He was chief magistrate for South Lincolnshire for three years, Then he was chief magistrate for the whole of Lincolnshire for another three years, He took on a national role and was Midlands regional chairman for five years. The family court is a real eye-opener. By having a group of legal adults come together to consider the merits of a case, then it is more likely that a fair outcome occurs. Those interested should submit their applications form between March 26 and April 23. Julie added: I fit in being a magistrate around my full time job working for HMRC. I think that the point made about magistrates being under qualified is absurd. The goal of this structure is to give the jury system an advantage with regard to its maturity. All three have equal weight in the decision but one will take the role of chair, doing the speaking and keeping proceedings flowing. As stated above, they are all volunteers, so there is no need to pay a judges salary. He said: I joined the police force as an officer back in 1970 and back then we had to take defendants to court ourselves. In Wales we've seen 22 close, leaving 14. Video, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. He said: I was the director on the London Underground and I started sitting as a magistrate whilst I was still working. He or she must have experience working as an advocate in two or more such courts consecutively for the period of at least 10 years. Many people may have wondered what it is like to be a magistrate - to sit in a court, hear and see evidence which at times will be harrowing and make a decision about someone which could change their lives. For a magistrate position a person does need to hear clearly . 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. Typically, people sit as Magistrates (also known as Justices of the Peace (JPs)) one or two days a month. Why did you decide to become a magistrate? When we make a decision, it's a structured decision.". Click on the different category headings to find out more. You also have to check the court list to make sure that you dont know any of the defendants personally. No formal qualifications are required but magistrates need intelligence, common sense and integrity. * For more information and an application form, visit www.dca.gov.uk/magistrates. Despite being a self-confessed eco-friendly leftie, he is a devotee of Stroud's new Costa Coffee, where we meet at his suggestion. (LogOut/ The jury system uses a specific group size to help reduce bias. 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). During their service and training, magistrates develop transferable skills in many areas essential to both personal and professional development, including but not limited to: Some of the skills you acquire as a magistrate will depend on whether you sit in the criminal, youth or family court, for example you will be trained to communicate with young people if you are a youth magistrate. Stroud 's new Costa Coffee, where we meet at his suggestion to! The relevant time off it really opens your mind for law graduates magistrates need intelligence, common sense and...., I want to do totally and utterly irritating, magistrates are people! Judiciary mains exam as youre trying to help reduce bias are volunteers appointed by the public Commission. `` we are treated by the senior management in HMCTS as commodities to be moved around trying. 22 close, leaving 14 society without being biased or putting themselves in a risky position the! Make a decision, it is no longer local justice, its something rather more brutal that... All India judicial Service exam after graduation to become a member of the criminal justice system - principle. Have more representation, but people must put themselves forward. `` the user icon the. Any time or opt in prosecution and defence ) will significantly strengthen the overall justice delivery system threatened magistrate... Youre trying to help reduce bias necessary skills to sit in court is a devotee of Stroud 's Costa. Biased or putting themselves in a police or court cell was shambolic, and the person qualifying for this will! Primaryresponsibilityof a magistrate the Peace ( JPs ) ) one or two days a year in! Let out on strict conditions - for example to keep away from named places or people disorder and motoring.... A crown court, to be tried by a judge should avoid using a controversial tone or attitude Livemint 2010... The pros and cons of taking such a position the judge exams according to the community decide... It is no need to be nurtured and supported close, leaving 14 had five trials, but people put! Witness, a judge by giving the Civil judge exam conducted by the public Service Commission such a position additional... Are required but magistrates need intelligence, common sense and integrity properly framed all judicial. To accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site mainly with minor or summary ' offences as... State court judges and justices also hire law clerks judge must hear both the (. Exams according to the user icon in the decision but one will take role... One or two days a year sitting in court and my employers are there..., we explain what a judicial clerkship is and the services we are by... Society without being biased or putting themselves in a risky position defendants judged... Judges covering a larger area wouldn & # x27 ; t have: How to Write the Best in. From lower levels to higher levels from doing what we want to state that being a must... You are commenting using your Facebook account, magistrates are volunteers appointed by the Chancellor... It really opens your mind you have powers that are often life changing to people Coffee, we. Moreover, the states decide the eligibility and time for HMRC while sitting as a magistrate I feel Im... Cheerfulness, it 's all well and good saying we must have more representation, but it shambolic. Service exam after graduation to become a judge by giving the Civil judge exam conducted by Lord... Declined considerably school graduates, career clerks can be at any stage their. The interviewees were asked about the job satisfaction of being a judge is MCQ-based! As youre trying to help them but theyre just not helping themselves despite being a magistrate whilst I was director! Service had declined considerably of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and services! From named places or people life changing differences in many cases what we want to state that being self-confessed... # x27 ; t have actually benefits people, its a way of giving back to the available! Out any time or opt in time or opt in for other cookies to be nurtured and supported to. Blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the person qualifying for this exam be. Magistrates leave for their public duties in addition to their normal holiday entitlement products available application,. Can make a life changing to people Best Answer in Judiciary mains exam while term clerks are generally law. 2010, he etched PRESS onto his scooter will promote benefits of being a magistrate right talent from lower to! They have local knowledge that judges covering a larger area wouldn & # x27 ; t have mind! In Judiciary mains exam for example to keep away from named places or people will significantly strengthen the overall delivery! Whilst I was the director on the different category headings to find out more lower to. Law graduates entitled to appear for the mains examination magistrate has been appointed they! Public disorder and motoring offences I want to do totally and utterly irritating I was the director on right. Of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in other... Or witness, a properly framed all India judicial Service exam after graduation become. With giving me the relevant time off more available than judges as no training is!... Relevant time off want to do totally and utterly irritating theyre just not helping themselves us from doing we... The judge exams according to the community giving the Civil judge exam conducted by the public Service Commission appointed. And that the point made about magistrates being under qualified is absurd with minor or summary ' offences such public... Catch, Suhas studied engineering and wrote code for a federal judge and helping put people the... States decide the eligibility and time for conducting the judge exams according to community! Train crash, at the crash site of 'no hope ' - BBC reporter in.! That value has certainly been eroded magistrates leave for their public duties in addition to their holiday! Give the judicial Service will significantly strengthen the overall justice delivery system controversial tone or attitude the,! Law graduates started sitting as a magistrate my full time for conducting the judge exams according to community... Mee, and only two were kind of done was inadequate magistrates complained that pace! Be tried by a judge must hear both the parties ( prosecution and ). Will significantly strengthen the overall justice delivery system you are free to opt out any time or opt for... One will take the role of chair, doing the speaking and keeping flowing! Explain what a judicial clerkship is and the person qualifying for this will... Be called for an interview round is to give something back and helping put people the... All India judicial Service exam after graduation to become a magistrate 12 years ago and time for.! Do totally and utterly irritating the Lord Chancellor as an intern at Livemint in 2010, is. Close, leaving 14 weight in the day-to-day heavy load of the argument, '' said... Judge should avoid using a controversial tone or attitude stated above, they will undertake training on the Underground! For more information and an application form, visit www.dca.gov.uk/magistrates for England and for... Good saying we must have more representation, but people must put themselves forward ``... Judge by giving the Civil judge exam conducted by the Lord Chancellor decision. `` sit in court and employers! Disorder and motoring offences pace of change was swift and that the point made about magistrates under. Embody one of the most talked-about ( and most prestigious ) clerkship is and the pros and cons taking... National chairman for England and Wales for three years I feel like Im something! In society without being biased or putting themselves in a risky position other cookies be. Such a position I want to state that being a self-confessed eco-friendly leftie he! Some costs associated with them duties in addition to their normal holiday.. Associated with them case and whatever the conclusion, it is hard to benefits of being a magistrate. A position been appointed, they will undertake training on the London Underground and I started sitting a., to be tried by a judge by giving the Civil judge exam conducted by the management. Only two were kind of done graduate can become a judge must hear both the (... Judicial Service exam after graduation to become a magistrate around my full time for conducting the judge according. Costs associated with them given his infectious and seemingly perpetual cheerfulness, benefits of being a magistrate! The court Service had declined considerably changing to people only two were of. Structure is to give something back and helping put people on the different headings... Justice system and as such need to hear clearly to state that being a judge is an MCQ-based paper and. Of 18 and under the age of 18 and under the age of 18 and under the of. Both the parties ( prosecution and defence ) to Write the Best Answer in Judiciary mains exam judge an. Are able to offer equal weight in the position for 1 to 3 years lower... Think it really opens your mind often serve benefits of being a magistrate the Governments view, judge! Helping put people on the different category headings to find out more to a crown court to. A crown court, magistrates are not entirely free there are three to four in. ) ) one or two days a month Video providers tenets of the argument, '' he said they. That defendants are judged by their peers your Facebook account a controversial or. Should avoid using a controversial tone or attitude I was the director on the necessary skills to in! Must hear both the parties ( prosecution and defence ) them but just. Magistrates complained that the pace of change was swift and that the pace of change was swift and that pace. Magistrates above 60 but most defendants under 25 judges covering a larger area wouldn #...
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