MAGISTRATES YESTERDAY TODAY AND TOMORROW

Around 95% of criminal court cases begin and end at magistrates courts. The application process for appointment of lay magistrates is onerous to say the least. Data on lay magistrates when probing behind the raw numbers, age, sex and the ubiquitous "diversity" statistics is rather thin on the ground. What is known is that on 01/04/2025 there were 14,636 listed lay magistrates. In most regions over the last couple of years there have been advertisements on or in various media asking members of the public to apply to the magistracy with emphasis that the position is for "ordinary" people. The numbers of JPs have halved since 2010 in line with the closure of half the country`s courts. In a parliamentary answer given on 17 July 2025 the MOJ said: “We do not have a set number of magistrate vacancies on 9 July 2025.” Despite that, it is understood that the target is to recruit 2,000 people annually. The Magistrates Association speculates that there is a current shortfall of 4,000 to 5,000 magistrates. Latest figures show that of 4,112 applicants 898 were appointed but in the previous year 2023/24 of 4,025 applicants 2,008 were successful in their applications. It doesn`t take an observer to have a PhD in statistics to notice that it was twice as likely to be an unsuccessful applicant in the current tranche of applications than in the previous twelve months.


Whether this variation is powered by a supply/demand consideration from the MOJ is unknown. What is known is the number of magistrates removed from office over the last 15 years.

2010–11: 22 magistrates removed. 

UK Parliament Data

2011–12: 19 magistrates removed. 

UK Parliament Data

2012–13: 17 magistrates removed. 

UK Parliament Data

2013–14: (reported in JCIO annual report)

2014–15: 19 magistrates removed. 

jciodev.microsoftcrmportals.com

2015–16: 15 magistrates removed. 

jciodev.microsoftcrmportals.com

2016–17: 15 magistrates removed 

UK Parliament Data

2017–18: 11 magistrates removed

2019-20: 13,177 magistrates — 12 removals — 9.11 per 10,000. 

jciodev.microsoftcrmportals.com

2020-21: 12,651 magistrates — 15 removals — 11.86 per 10,000. 

Judicial Conduct Complaints

2021-22: 12,506 magistrates — 6 removals — 4.80 per 10,000. 

Judicial Conduct Complaints

2022-23: 13,340 magistrates — 4 removals — 2.99 per 10,000. 

Judicial Conduct Complaints

2023-24: 14,576 magistrates — 17 removals — 11.66 per 10,000

Judicial Conduct Complaints

It`s not unlikely that the Covid epidemic had a major effect on the figure for 2022/3.  However considering that in 2010 there were around 30,000 magistrates and 22 were sacked but in 2023/24 17 were removed from half the number of the  2010 cohort perhaps the criteria for removal have been lowered.  

Readers can judge for themselves whether those recently *removed should have known better that their actions were not compatible with their position on the bench.  Have the advisory committees which do the appointing have anything to answer for?  Should magistrates as a form of hybrid between the professional and lay judiciary be held to different standards than currently is the case?  Should magistrates powers be permanently limited to non custodial matters?  Even considering the current review, as with much surrounding the judiciary, there are many unanswered questions.  

Magistrates of today are as changed from those of 1945 as those predecessors were of their namesakes in 1901.  The future status and activity of the institution is as unimaginable as piloting a spacecraft to a moon landing would have been to the Wright brothers.  

   

*Some current removals in the last couple of months can be viewed here,  here and here.  For a complete result look here.