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Established in the 14th century, the magistracy is a key part of the judiciary of England and Wales, [6] and it is a role underpinned by the principles of 'justice by one's peers'. [6] Magistrates typically sit as a bench of three, known as a panel, [7] mixed in gender, age and ethnicity where possible, to bring a broad experience of life to ...
In England and Wales, a magistrates' court is a lower court which hears matters relating to summary offences and some triable either-way matters. Some civil law issues are also decided here, notably family proceedings. In 2010, there were 320 magistrates' courts in England and Wales; by 2020, a decade later, 164 of those had closed.
The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judicial and executive powers.
From the magistrates' courts, an appeal can be taken to the Crown Court on matters of fact and law or, on matters of law alone, to the Administrative Court of King's Bench Division of the High Court, which is called an appeal "by way of case stated". The magistrates' courts are also inferior courts and are therefore subject to judicial review.
A justices' clerk had the powers of a single magistrate, for example to issue a summons, adjourn proceedings, extend bail, issue a warrant for failing to surrender to bail where there is no objection on behalf of the accused, dismiss an information where no evidence is offered, request a pre-sentence report, commit a defendant for trial without consideration of the evidence and give directions ...
Examples include judges, magistrates, foreclosure referees and arbitrators. A complete list of judicial officers is published after every election, along with every other officer of the United States , in the United States Government Policy and Supporting Positions , or more commonly called the Plum Book.
Magistrates' Courts Act (with its variations) is a stock short title used for legislation in the United Kingdom relating to magistrates' courts. The Bill for an Act with this short title may have been known as a Magistrates' Courts Bill during its passage through Parliament .
A chief magistrate is a public official, executive or judicial, whose office is the highest in its class. Historically, the two different meanings of magistrate have often overlapped and refer to, as the case may be, to a major political and administrative officer (usually at a subnational or colonial level) or a judge and barrister.