What is the Chief Magistrate called?
The current Chief Magistrate is Senior District Judge Paul Goldspring. The Senior District Judge (Chief Magistrate), as he or she is known, has a leadership responsibility for the 300-or-so District Judges (Magistrates’ Courts) (DJMCs), and Deputy DJMCs across England and Wales.
Is the President a Chief Magistrate?
Hamilton refers to the President as the “Chief Magistrate” through his Federalist essays on executive power and in his administrative correspondence as Treasury Secretary.
What is Chief Magistrate Judge?
The chief magistrate judge is the chief judge of a group of federal magistrate judges. This federal court or judge-related article is a sprout; we plan on making it grow in the future. If you would like to help it grow, please consider donating to Ballotpedia.
Who is responsible for magistrates?
Magistrates’ Court work: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is the main prosecuting authority in England and Wales. In our daily operations we work in partnership with all agencies in the criminal justice system. We work especially closely with the police, although we are independent of them.
What are the disadvantages of magistrates?
Disadvantages
- Prosecution Biased- As untrained , they may side with the police.
- Inconsistent-May forget sentences due to working only 13 days a year.
- Case Hardened-May judge defendants on a case before.
- Unrepresentative of society- Only people with free time.
What power do magistrates have?
Magistrates deal with less serious criminal cases, such as minor theft, criminal damage, assaults, public disorder and motoring offences.
How much do magistrates earn?
Magistrates are not paid, but many employers allow their employees time off with pay. If you lose out on pay, you can claim an allowance at a set rate, as well as allowances for travel and subsistence.
Can magistrates give life sentences?
In terms of the Criminal Law (Sentencing) Amendment Act (No 38 of 2007) a Regional Magistrates’ Court can sentence a person who has been found guilty of offences that include murder or rape to imprisonment for life. Ordinary Magistrates’ Courts can hear civil cases when the claims are for less than R100 000.
What is minimum life sentence?
When someone is given a life sentence, they will be subject to that sentence for the rest of their life. When a judge passes a life sentence, they must specify the minimum term an offender must spend in prison before becoming eligible to apply for parole (sometimes called the tariff).
What cases do magistrates hear?
Magistrates deal with three kinds of cases:
- Summary offences. These are less serious cases, such as motoring offences and minor assaults, where the defendant is not usually entitled to trial by jury.
- Either-way offences.
- Indictable-only offences, such as murder, manslaughter, rape and robbery.
Why do cases go to magistrates first?
The first hearing will decide whether the severity of the offence(s) requires your case to be redirected to the Crown Court. Such offences are called ‘indictable only’ (such as murder and manslaughter) and can only be heard at the Crown Court.
What happens in a magistrates hearing?
At the Magistrates’ Court, your trial will be heard either by a District Judge or by a bench of lay Magistrates. The Magistrates or the District Judge decides on matters of law (for example whether evidence is admissible) and fact (for example have you done what the prosecution say you have done?).
Who decides if a case goes to magistrates court?
Magistrates decide whether a case is sufficiently serious to be heard in the Crown Court. But if they decide the case should stay in the magistrates’ court, the defendant can then choose whether their trial should take place in the Crown Court instead.
Which is worse Crown Court or magistrates?
Magistrates’ courts always pass the most serious crimes to the Crown Court, for example: murder. rape. robbery.
Is County court higher than magistrates?
While higher-value cases are heard in the High Court, the county courts hear a wide range of civil actions, consumer claims, and appeals from magistrates’ courts.