The Magistrates' Association retweeted
My thanks to @gmpolice and brave staff for their swift response to an incident at Manchester Magistrates’ Court today. Due to their quick thinking and action, a much worse situation was averted and the court remains open
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It's #TrusteesWeek! The time of year when we celebrate the time, commitment, and effort that trustees bring to their organisations.
Our trustees generously volunteer their time and knowledge to help guide and shape the work of the MA. But their commitment doesn't stop there - me voluntarily as magistrates, serving their local communities and supporting the delivery of justice.
Find out more about our trustees and their backgrounds here magistrates-association.org.uk/about-us/our-p…
Our trustees generously volunteer their time and knowledge to help guide and shape the work of the MA. But their commitment doesn't stop there - me voluntarily as magistrates, serving their local communities and supporting the delivery of justice.
Find out more about our trustees and their backgrounds here magistrates-association.org.uk/about-us/our-p…
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Job alert!
We are currently recruiting for an Engagement Officer on an initial 12-month contract. This is a brand-new role that will focus on strengthening the MA's extensive branch network.
We're particularly interested in hearing from magistrates for this role, so do click the link to find out more: charityjob.co.uk/jobs/magistrat…
We are currently recruiting for an Engagement Officer on an initial 12-month contract. This is a brand-new role that will focus on strengthening the MA's extensive branch network.
We're particularly interested in hearing from magistrates for this role, so do click the link to find out more: charityjob.co.uk/jobs/magistrat…
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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.uk/blog/magistrat…
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.uk/blog/magistrat…
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“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.uk/blog/black-his…
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.uk/blog/black-his…
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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.uk/news/rise-in-m…
“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.uk/news/rise-in-m…
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'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.uk/blog/from-eric…
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.uk/blog/from-eric…
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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.
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.
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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 yP37t
Read our full statement yP37t
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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 ir local communities, supporting the delivery of justice and ensuring that local voices are represented.
This year's theme, Honouring Our Communities, is a fitting reminder of the important unpaid role that ir local communities, supporting the delivery of justice and ensuring that local voices are represented.
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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/…
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/…
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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 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.uk/our-magazine/
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.uk/our-magazine/
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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/in-…
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/in-…
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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.uk/news/ma-announ…
David joins the board for the first time, whilst Ben and Sarah will begin their second terms.
Find out more magistrates-association.org.uk/news/ma-announ…
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The Single Justice Procedure (SJP) has been back in the spotlight this week.
The SJP was introduced in 2015 to spare thousands of people the need to attend court for minor offences, while allowing valuable court time to be focused on more serious cases. However, in recent years the Magistrates' Association has found that many of our members are uncomfortable with the SJP process as it currently works, and a significant proportion feel they do not always get as much time as they need to properly consider each case.
In 2024, we called for reform of the SJP and published 12 recommendations, including:
🔹 Reviewing and improving the training that magistrates receive before they can sit on SJP cases
🔹 The government should make provision for SJP sittings to be observable by accredited journalists
🔹 Boosting transparency by publishing more data on the SJP
🔹 Safeguarding the SJP process so that neither magistrates nor their legal advisors feel any pressure to process cases more quickly than they want to.
standard.co.uk/news/crime/may…
The SJP was introduced in 2015 to spare thousands of people the need to attend court for minor offences, while allowing valuable court time to be focused on more serious cases. However, in recent years the Magistrates' Association has found that many of our members are uncomfortable with the SJP process as it currently works, and a significant proportion feel they do not always get as much time as they need to properly consider each case.
In 2024, we called for reform of the SJP and published 12 recommendations, including:
🔹 Reviewing and improving the training that magistrates receive before they can sit on SJP cases
🔹 The government should make provision for SJP sittings to be observable by accredited journalists
🔹 Boosting transparency by publishing more data on the SJP
🔹 Safeguarding the SJP process so that neither magistrates nor their legal advisors feel any pressure to process cases more quickly than they want to.
standard.co.uk/news/crime/may…
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Read our full position statement on the SJP ⬇️magistrates-association.org.uk/publication/si…
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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 magistrates-association.org.uk/news/the-ma-we…
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"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.uk/blog/the-magis…
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.uk/blog/the-magis…
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