Why join the Magistrates' Association?

The Magistrates' Association is a membership organisation funded by its members to represent their interests.  As the national representative body it can, and has, achieved changes to legislation and improvement in working practices (guidance on cancellation of sittings, judicial control over listing and case management). These achievements are in accordance with members’ views; the Association does not act in a vacuum but is driven by its members’ wishes and is the route by which magistrates can achieve change.

• Members receive a subscription to Magistrate magazine, published by the Association. Click here to see a sample issue from February 2009.
• Members have access to a special members' area of the website. To see a non-functioning preview of the members' area front page click here and log in using Membership Number: guest and Password guest. Note: this preview has links disabled and access is restricted to the front page only.
• Any individual member can contact the national office for advice, support or information if needed. The issues dealt with range from financial loss allowance to disciplinary matters to cancelled sittings.
• Members all belong to their local branch where their officers represent their views and concerns about local matters in local forums; equally they can bring these concerns to the Association's Council/committees, and where there are common issues these can be tackled at the highest level by the honorary officers.
• The Association is continually developing its private members section on its website as access widens enabling members to talk to each other via discussion groups, to seek out information, to have support for Magistrates in the Community presentations and to download documents including the Magistrate magazine at their leisure.
• Each and every member contributes to the power of the organisation and benefits from that power.  While it is true that others may also benefit, everyone should acknowledge that they would all lose out if there were no independent body.  Those who are not members should give that serious thought!
• The Association does not simply provide information on things that have changed, but shapes the change itself – and it is members of the Association who can make their views known and contribute to that change.
• Individuals may have views on sentencing guidelines, legislation, court cancellations, level of sittings. As a member of the Magistrates' Association your views join with many thousands of others and can make a real difference.

The national office has eight full-time and three part-time employees, all based at the Association’s freehold premises at 28 Fitzroy Square, London W1. There is a members’ room and library. Members are welcome to visit the national office at any time.