The Magistrates' Association

In 2025, we surveyed our members to understand their thoughts and experiences relating to their safety and security inside and outside the magistrates’ courts. We found that most magistrates feel safe most of the time and very serious security failures are thankfully rare. But a quarter of respondents did say they had felt unsafe in court at one time or another. A similar proportion had felt unsafe outside it. More than a year on, we reflect on the evidence members shared, the changes we have called for and progress so far: magistrates-association.org.…

“Our communities are diverse and made up of people with different experiences, cultures and perspectives. A magistracy that reflects this diversity can help maintain public confidence in the justice system. While every magistrate is committed to fairness and impartiality, it is important that people can see that those entrusted with administering justice come from all parts of society.” To celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth, we spoke to some of our Black members about what led them to become magistrates and why representation is so important in the court room. Read the blog: magistrates-association.org.…

Magistrates' Association Chief Executive Catherine Feast has commented on the government's latest magistrate recruitment data: “We are clear that magistrates have a vital role to play in reducing the unacceptable court backlogs we see across our criminal courts, and we have long supported the government’s ambition to boost the magistracy for this reason. It’s good to see that in this quarter, so many ordinary people – 809 in all – across England and Wales, have become magistrates, to give back to their communities. “However, it is critical that this rise in new magistrates is matched by sufficient capacity to train, mentor and support them, as well as ensuring the availability of sitting days for all magistrates. “Success in integrating new recruits and reducing backlogs will not happen overnight and the government must ensure that existing magistrates – many of whom are also responsible for mentoring new magistrates and appraising other magistrates too – are adequately supported, otherwise this welcome growth in the number of magistrates, risks placing unsustainable pressure on those people who may already be volunteering at maximum capacity. And that is no good for victims, defendants or the system overall.” magistrates-association.org.…

'My generation inherited doors that people like Eric Irons fought to open. But inheriting an open door brings its own responsibility. We have to hold it open for somebody else. That, for me, is the connection between Eric Irons’s story and mine.' In May 1962, Eric Irons made history when he became Britain’s first Black magistrate. For Black History Month, MA member Sheila Chingono takes a look at what he achieved and shares how he inspired her own journey. Read her blog magistrates-association.org.…

We’ve noticed quite a bit of chatter and opinions about magistrates and the magistrates’ courts this week 🗣️ So, it’s a good time to share some facts about who magistrates are and what they do... ✅Magistrates are ordinary people, who volunteer their time to hear cases in their community. ✅They receive thorough training before they are appointed and while they are sitting as magistrates, and are regularly appraised too. ✅In the court room, they usually hear cases in ‘benches’ of three magistrates, and are always supported by a qualified legal adviser. ✅Magistrates hear about 95% of all criminal cases in England and Wales. ✅They sit in Adult, Youth and Family courts. ✅The magistracy is the most diverse element of the judiciary – in fact, 18% of appointments this year came from Black, Asian and Global Majority backgrounds, and in London some 30% of sitting magistrates are from these backgrounds. ✅Like a judge – and a jury for that matter – magistrates give their verdict after listening to the evidence, the law and the circumstances of the case. ✅As well as receiving advice from their legal adviser, magistrates also follow sentencing guidelines when deciding the appropriate sentence.

The Magistrates' Association has responded to yesterday's announcement that the government intends to keep provisions to enable magistrates to hand out longer sentences within the Courts and Tribunals Bill, ahead of its return to Parliament next week. Read our full statement here magistrates-association.org.…

Today marks the start of #BlackHistoryMonthUK - a time to reflect on and celebrate the contributions that Black Britons have made in shaping the UK into what it is today. This year's theme, Honouring Our Communities, is a fitting reminder of the important unpaid role that magistrates play in their local communities, supporting the delivery of justice and ensuring that local voices are represented.

Congratulations to MA member Brian Goodhand on his retirement after 49(!) years of service. Brian was recruited to the bench when he was just 25 and has seen huge changes to the judicial system during his time. He told @BBCNWT: "Being a magistrate is about common sense, a bit of empathy, an understanding of the real world and the patience to listen." bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm93…

Until the introduction of the modern courts system in the 19th century, magistrates’ courts were run at a local level. The principle of local justice is rooted in the belief that justice should be administered as close as possible to the communities it serves, with decisions made by those who understand the local context. But the accumulative impact of court closures, declining magistrate numbers, and sparse support services mean that it has become harder for magistrates’ courts in rural areas to fulfil this principle in recent decades. In the latest issue of Magistrate magazine, exclusive to MA members, Policy and Research Officer Hannah Bondi looks at the barriers to delivering justice in rural communities and hears the views of members from across England and Wales. Click the link to read this piece and much more in Autumn’s Magistrate magazine magistrates-association.org.…

Over the summer, we were pleased to invite the @lawsocgazette to spend a few days shadowing our National Chair David Ford and Deputy National Chair Sarah Clarke at Cardiff and Milton Keynes Magistrates' Courts. Over the course of the three days, the Gazette had the opportunity to see first-hand the day-to-day goings on of a typical magistrates' court, and find out more about what draws people like David and Sarah to become magistrates lawgazette.co.uk/news-focus/…

We are pleased to announce that Ben Paolozzi, David Wall, and Sarah Butters have been newly elected as trustees, following this summer's MA election. David joins the board for the first time, whilst Ben and Sarah will begin their second terms. Find out more magistrates-association.org.…

The Magistrates’ Association has welcomed yesterday’s announcement by Justice Secretary Alex Norris of £4.5m in funding for community alternatives to youth custodial remand. This is in addition to the £5m announced in February this year alongside the publication of ‘A Modern Youth Justice System’. magistrates-association.org.…

"The magistracy remains largely 50+, overwhelmingly white collar, university educated, and white, although with substantial regional variations on ethnicity according to local populations. Even so, it remains the most diverse element of the judiciary, drawn directly from and representing the communities it serves." Last month, the @MoJGovUK published its annual judicial diversity statistics. In this blog, our Policy and Research Officer Adam Chaddock gives a detailed look at what the data tells us about the current make up of the magistracy. magistrates-association.org.…

It’s time to celebrate the very best of the magistracy 🥇 Nominations for this year's MA Awards are now OPEN and it's your chance to recognise someone who’s gone the extra mile for their branch, the community, or the MA this year. Click the link below to see all the categories, including a NEW Rising Star Award ⭐, for new magistrates who have already made a positive impact on their bench. The deadline for nominations is midnight on Monday 5 October, and the winners will be announced at our AGM and conference on Saturday 21 November magistrates-association.org.…

💼 We're recruiting! The MA is looking for a talented Training, Learning and Development Officer to take ownership of our learning offer and help shape how magistrates access training, learning and development. You'll be responsible for: 🔹 Identifying training, learning and development opportunities or needs 🔹 Developing learning resources, including e-learning and guidance documents 🔹 Managing MA learn, the MA's learning management system (LMS) 🔹 Overseeing the MA's community outreach programme Magistrates in the Community 🔹 Coordinating MA input into wider magistrate training, both nationally and through representation on local training committees. If you’re passionate about learning and development and want to use your skills to make a difference within the justice system, we’d love to hear from you. charityjob.co.uk/jobs/magist…

Our work on Out of Court Resolutions (OOCRs) is helping to shape the national conversation 🗣️ OOCRs allow the police to deal quickly and proportionately with less serious, often first-time offending without having to go to court. Whilst they can play a useful role in the justice system, it’s important that their administration is transparent and open to scrutiny. In recent months, we’ve been engaging with policing leaders and criminal justice stakeholders to promote greater transparency and accountability, ensuring the magistracy’s perspective is represented. You can read about our work on this and much more in our latest Advocacy Update magistrates-association.org.…