5. BEING A LAY MAGISTRATE...
The role of a Lay Magistrate is to hear 95%
of criminal cases. They then decide if the
person is guilty or innocent.
If found guilty, the defendant
will either be dealt with in the
Magistrates’ Court, or the case
may be sent to a Crown Court.
This is dependent on the severity of the
case.
6. POWER...
Lay Magistrates have the power to sentence
a defendant to prison for up to 6
months for one offence.
This increases to 12
months for multiple offences.
They can also fine defendant
any sum of money up to £5,000.
Lay Magistrates are also able to give a
combination of these punishments.
7. CASES...
There are 3 types of cases heard in Magistrate
Courts these are:
Summary Offences – this includes
motoring offences or disorderly
behaviour. Usually end in Magistrates’
Court.
Indictable Offences – includes murder, rape,
manslaughter etc. Generally Magistrates
decide whether or not to grant bail
or reporting restrictions. The case
is then passed on to a Crown Court.
Either Way Offences – these are cases
that can end in either court.
8. WHY?
You might now
be asking yourself
‘Why do I want to be a Lay Magistrate?’. Well,
you can make a huge difference.
There is generally a specific type of person who
sign up to be Lay Magistrates. It’s time for
change.
You can make a difference to the
criminal justice system. You can
have your say in the justice for
people in your local community.
9. WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR...
Mix of age, gender
and ethnicity.
Between the ages of
18 and 70.
Must have:
Good character
Understanding nature
Good communication
skills
Social awareness
Maturity
Sound temperament
Sound judgement
Reliability
Commitment
Honesty
Open mindedness
10. BENEFITS AND ADVANTAGES...
You will be given free training on
how to deal with cases appropriately.
You will have all of you expenses
covered, this includes food and
travel etc.
If you work, your employer is required to give
you paid time of to do your duty.
It’s only 26 half days per year.
Therefore it’s flexible and shouldn’t
impact too much on your day to day life.
11. YOUR NEXT STEP...
Want more information about being a Lay Magistrate
or want to apply to be one follow these links:
https://www.gov.uk/become-magistrate/what-magistrates-do
http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/about-the-judiciary/who-are-the-
judiciary/judicial-roles/magistrates/
https://www.gov.uk/become-magistrate/apply-to-be-a-magistrate
http://www.obv.org.uk/what-we-do/schemes/magistrate-scheme-
2007/8/frequently-asked-questions-faq
