Chief Magistrate

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The Chief Magistrate, also known interchangeably as the Senior District Judge, is a judge in England and Wales who sits in the Magistrates' Court.

The Senior District Judge has a leadership responsibility for the 300-or-so District Judges (Magistrates’ Courts) (DJMCs), and Deputy DJMCs across England and Wales. Despite being called "Chief Magistrate" the judge has no authority over lay magistrates, or over the several hundreds of district judges who sit in the county courts of England and Wales.

When the first Chief Magistrate began sitting at Bow Street in 1735, the title wasn’t confusing at all – at the time, magistrates in London were paid judicial office-holders, and magistrates’ courts in London were presided over by Metropolitan Stipendiary Magistrates. All magistrates – paid and unpaid – are Justices of the Peace. Nowadays the word magistrate is more commonly used for the unpaid judicial office holders, also commonly known as JPs.

Early holders of the post also had responsibility for the Bow Street Runners, until they were replaced by the Metropolitan Police in the 19th century.

As a District Judge, the Senior District Judge ranks below Circuit judges.

When hearing cases, the Senior District Judge wears a black robe but no wig, they are the only judge in the magistrates' court to wear robes. They are addressed as "Sir" or "Madam".

The Senior District Judge normally sits at Westminster Magistrates' Court but has jurisdiction across England and Wales. The judge is supported by the Chief Magistrate's Office who oversea the deployment of judicial resources in the magistrates' courts.

External links

• Judicial Roles - Chief Magistrate, judiciary.gov.uk

This article "Chief Magistrate" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Chief Magistrate. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

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