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. There are many benefits to employers supporting their staff to be magistrates. There can be threats if the decision by a judge is not favourable for a party or section of people. Magistrates are strong representatives of local concerns and interests and can apply the law in a way that takes these into account. 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. A person appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court must be a citizen of India and possess a degree of Law from a recognised university. Required fields are marked *. Any seat of a high position carries risk. It was quite a solemn occasion at the High Court at the Royal Courts of Justice. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. For example, magistrates can claim expenses on things such as travel. And when you have that eye-opener, it makes you sometimes a better person, sitting with different people with different ways of thinking it helps you develop as a person. Another agreed: for me, its less about remuneration than about the efficiency of the process I feel Id be valued more if there werent days like I had today. 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. The Magistrate's broad conclusion that, for the purposes of service of process, all Scientology organizations may be treated as "agents" of Mr. Miscavige, engaging in "business" for his personal benefit rather than religious charitable activities, intrudes into the religious affairs of the Church no less than a determination that . If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to Here, she talks about why it's so rewarding, and why it's a shame the numbers are falling: "I swear by Almighty God that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth the Second, in the office of Justice of the Peace and I will do right to all manner of people after the laws and usages of the realm without fear or favour, affection or ill will. Those students looking to start earning more money and paying off student loans may be less interested in the salary that comes along with a position like a law clerk. But Roger Sanders, who also works as a gardener, has been dispensing down-to-earth justice since he became a magistrate 12 years ago. Magistrates felt that court staff, themselves under pressure, had sometimes ceased to be flexible. You can also change some of your preferences. Read about our approach to external linking. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. After this, they will start to hear cases, sitting in benches of three. You also have to check the court list to make sure that you dont know any of the defendants personally. DeSantis won't say he's running. In this post, we explain what a judicial clerkship is and the pros and cons of taking such a position! "Sometimes it's the only solution but I don't like depriving people of their liberty. Despite having close to 17 years of judicial experience between . Follow these steps to become a successful magistrate: 1. Change). Most judges have at least one attorney on their staff who helps the judge conduct legal research, prepare for hearings and trials and draft written opinions. State court judges and justices also hire law clerks. He was also national chairman for England and Wales for three years. All the interviewees were asked about the job satisfaction of being a magistrate. Magistrates are ordinary people, with no need for prior legal knowledge, and they work unpaid. Employers are obliged by law to allow time off work for magistrates to perform their duties (see below), but it is at their discretion whether this is paid or unpaid leave. I hope that this helps you to understand some of the benefits of having magistrates. Advantages? By continuing to use this site you are giving consent to cookies being used. "Whilst we are there and have to punish, it's also all about rehabilitation as well," she said. In the Governments view, a properly framed All India Judicial Service will significantly strengthen the overall justice delivery system. More available than judges as no training is required. This quote was from research recently conducted for Transform Justice with magistrates across England and Wales. In court, a qualified legal advisor is always on hand to provide information about the law. THE organiser of Stroud's alternative and hugely . Nor will you have the opportunity to sign your own name to anything that you prepare. The preliminary examination is an MCQ-based paper, and the person qualifying for this exam will be entitled to appear for the mains examination. 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. Magistrates make up 85% of the judicial community and deal with more than 90% of criminal cases as well as a range of civil matters. 10 Legal Jobs and Career Options After Law. Magistrates might not hear cases as quickly as an experienced judge and three magistrates are needed to hear every case, rather than one judge. Cost-Magistrates are unpaid, but judges earn 90,000. Agnes first moved to Wales in 1986 and describes herself as a "British Malaysian Indian". Theres been a turn-over of staff. While term clerks are generally recent law school graduates, career clerks can be at any stage in their legal practice. Not representative - similar criticisms to judiciary being from middle-class and professional backgrounds Many felt that central government wanted to take over the magistracy and them to be simply hired hands, who turned up when they were told to and never spoke up. Many supportive employers allow magistrates leave for their public duties in addition to their normal holiday entitlement. Local Knowledge-Speeds up court proceedings. Being a great magistrate requires advanced knowledge of state and federal laws, which you can gain through proper education, training and experience. It can be really disheartening, as the chain is just not being broken.. Thank you for your love and support. I have always had an interest in law and society and I applied and became a magistrate in 2004, and here I am 14 years later. Click on the different category headings to find out more. The opinion that magistrates are under qualified and a stereotype is inconsequential compared to all of the advantages. 1000 more judges would be required. While they're legally entitled to time off work to fulfil the role, how much time, and whether it's paid, is often down to the employer's discretion. I had five trials, but it was shambolic, and only two were kind of done. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. The person must pass the state judicial service test. You may also. The appointment of judges depends upon the vacancies available. They appreciated learning and developing through sitting: I think it really opens your mind. Registered Charity (No. Show What attributes does a magistrate need to have? For ABH 21% of defendants were found guilty but in Essex it was 77%, Case Hardened-May judge defendants on a case before. Thats all changed. Those who had sat for many years felt their relationship with the court service had declined considerably. You will get full training for the. Without magistrates, would need 1000 more judges, saving of 100 million. 2023 BBC. 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. One magistrate told the manager that he did not want to sit with a colleague, because they had fallen out. As a law clerk, you will likely be sitting in an office with your head buried in research and writing. You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. Its so infuriating as youre trying to help them but theyre just not helping themselves.. We are the least celebrated in fact I think were the pariahs of the volunteering services in this country.. Something went wrong, please try again later. There are about 14,000 magistrates in England and Wales who sit . It terribly cheesy to say it but if you can help just one person, then I think you have actually done a good job that day. He said: "When I used to sit in Grantham we used to do drug rehabilitation reviews. There was much more of an integration into the civic life of the city, which gave it value. We may request cookies to be set on your device. A judge must determine the guilt or innocence of criminal defendants in criminal court and impose punishments on those found guilty. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. Time spent on specialised panels like youth or family courts will increase that. This magistrate felt that the closure of courts had had a negative impact on justice, for instance forcing those on benefits to take long journeys on public transport, when they were already having difficulties paying off fines. We find this increasingly difficult to accept. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. The person appointed as a High Court judge can serve as a judge until he attains the age of 62 years. 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. Copyright Get Revising 2023 all rights reserved. "It sounds rather clichd to say I wanted to put something back into the community," she says, but that's exactly where she found herself. It is easier for the magistrates to picture a particular event taking place if they are familiar with the area. "I try to judge crocodile tears from real regret and I think that's where life experience comes in.". There are lots of letters on the board in X court saying we value your work but it is just words on paper.. Due to this reason, it is rightly said that a law degree can open the door to a wide range of careers that other degrees may not. As there are three magistrates on a bench, they can each offer their own perspective. 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. 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. Again when opening a new browser window or new a tab at the Courts! Research and writing no need for prior legal knowledge, and the pros and of! Law in a way that takes these into account civic life of benefits. Pressure, had sometimes ceased to be magistrates anything that you prepare your! 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