What we do

The Magistrates' Association is a membership organisation with over 28,000 members, and it represents over 80% of serving volunteer magistrates. Others such as justices' clerks, liaison judges and solicitors also receive the Magistrate magazine. The Association's national office is based in London (see contact details) and has eight full-time and four part-time employees (see Staff).

Membership is organised through the branch structure, from which the branch council members are drawn. Many branch council members also serve on various standing committees looking at specialist areas of interest to the magistracy. There is a team of Honorary Officers - a Chairman and two Deputy Chairmen who are elected by Council, and the Treasurer who is elected at the Annual General Meeting.

The Magistrates' Association...

Promotes uniformity of practice by:

• Preparing guidance in partnership with the Justices’ Clerks’ Society, National Probation Service etc.
• Keeping members up to date with developments within the criminal justice system.

Consults and represents members by:

• Hearing members’ views through branch council members, the branch network and individual communication.
• Having representatives on government working groups, committees and panels.
• Liaising regularly with other players in the criminal justices system.
• Linking with national and local media networks.
• Networking with interested parties and organisations.

Provides its membership with information, advice and assistance by:

• Publishing the Magistrate magazine ten times a year.
• Dispatching information bulletins to branches and benches.
• Answering many members’ individual queries by post, telephone and e-mail.
• Providing IT opportunities for members to discuss issues.
• Publishing literature on various topics.
• Supporting magistrates in other aspects of their magisterial careers.

Promotes public awareness of the magistracy by:

• Publishing literature for the general public.
• Responding to press and media enquiries.
• Initiating coverage in a wide variety of media.
• Supporting and promoting the Magistrates in the Community project.
• Answering individual enquiries from members of the public.
• Maintaining a website for reference.
• Giving guidance to employers.

Delivers and supports Training by:

• Initiating and organising conferences, seminars and workshops.
• Providing advice and materials for training organisers.
• Maintaining a resources database for information exchange.