LAY MAGISTRATES

• Magistrates relate to the court, lay magistrates relate to the person
• Lay magistrates do not have to have any legal qualifications
• Must be aged between 18-65 when appointed and have to retire by 70
• Expected t olive or work within the local justice area
• Must be prepared to commit to sit 26 half days along with training sessions
• Lord Chancellor's six key qualities (1998):

  1. Good character
  2. understanding and communication
  3. Social awareness
  4. Maturity and sound temperament
  5. Sound judgement
  6. Commitment and reliability
• Those with serious criminal convictions are ineligible to be lay magistrates
• Those with undischarged bankrupts are ineligible to be lay magistrates
• Members of the forces are ineligible to be lay magistrates
• Public officers and traffic wardens are ineligible to be lay magistrates
• Relatives of those working in the justice system are ineligible to be lay magistrates
• Those who cannot carry out their duties due to their disabilities are ineligible to be lay magistrates
• Around 1200 new lay magistrates are appointed each year
• Lay magistrates are appointed by the senior presiding judge. In order to decide who to appoint, the senior Presiding Judge relies on recommendations by the local Advisory committees
• Local Advisory Committee:

  • The committee consists of 12 members, who encourage a range of potential candidates to put themselves forward
  • This would include advertising positions in different places
  • The intention behind the committee is to create a panel that is representative of all aspects of society