Magistrate (England and Wales)

Common card · No. 450218

In England and Wales, magistrates (; Welsh: ynad) are highly trained honorary lay judges and members of the judiciary who deal with a wide range of criminal and civil proceedings. They are also known as Justices of the Peace. In the adult criminal court, magistrates have equal sentencing powers to district judges (formerly stipendiary magistrates) and deliver verdicts on both "summary" and "either way" offences that carry up to twelve months in prison, or an unlimited fine. Magistrates also sit in the family court where they preside over disputes that involve children, and in the youth court, which deals with criminal matters involving young people aged 10–17. Established in the 14th century, the magistracy is a key part of the judiciary of England and Wales, and it is a role underpinned by the principles of 'justice by one's peers'. Magistrates typically sit as a bench of three, known as a panel, mixed in gender, age, sexuality and ethnicity where possible, to bring a broad experience...

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