Lay magistrates deal with 97% of criminal cases in magistrates courts in England and Wales. They undergo initial and ongoing training to develop their competencies in areas such as managing themselves, working as a team, making judicial decisions, and case management. Lay magistrates are appointed through a selection process involving local advisory committees, references, interviews and assessments of their suitability based on qualifications like good character, communication skills, and commitment. While use of lay magistrates provides benefits like local knowledge and speed, there are also disadvantages such as potential inconsistency in sentencing and middle-class bias. Overall, low appeal rates suggest the system is still effective despite its challenges.