About family magistrates
Family magistrates hear cases in the family court, a key part of the magistrates’ courts. They hear two types of cases: public and private:
- In private law cases, magistrates determine what is in the best interests of the child when parents are separating and cannot agree on arrangements.
- In public law cases, magistrates determine what is in the best interests of a child where there is a risk of harm and social services are involved with a family to protect children.
If you’d like to find out more about being a family magistrate and apply to become a family magistrate, visit our family court page, where you will find out more about the family courts and what family magistrates do, as well as the training you can expect to receive.
Why join the Magistrates’ Association?
Whether you’re already a sitting family magistrate or thinking about applying to be one, it’s well worth joining the Magistrates’ Association (MA).
We are the only independent membership body for magistrates, and we’re run by and for our members. We help our members to develop their skills, we advocate on their behalf on issues relevant to magistrates, we raise public awareness of the vital work that magistrates do, we keep members up-to-date with the latest news, and we provide opportunities to support, socialise and network with other magistrates, as well as to help shape the direction and work that we do.
We have many members sitting in the family courts – including many who sit in the adult courts too – so, whatever your jurisdiction and wherever you live in England or Wales, you’ll be joining a big nationwide community of your fellow magistrates.
Still not convinced? There are many benefits of membership:
BOOST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
- MA Learn, our members-only learning hub, offers over 50 high-quality learning resources relevant to family magistrates.
- It includes resources especially for new and prospective family magistrates, covering family court basics, reading bundles and common abbreviations, with plenty for established family magistrates too.
- We run live development events nationally and locally each year, including family-focused webinars and local family panel events.
CONNECT
Membership helps build a bond among our members and across jurisdictions that often last a lifetime:
- You can meet, collaborate and network with your fellow family magistrates, and other peers at our national and local branch events.
- Members discuss topical issues and vote on policy proposals at our annual conference and AGM, where there are always family-specific sessions and high-level speakers from the family jurisdiction. We also celebrate the successes of our members at our annual awards ceremony.
- Many of our family members visit schools, colleges and community groups, through our Magistrates in the Community programme, to educate people about the magistracy and the law.
ADVOCATING AND INFLUENCING FOR YOU
We’re the only independent voice of the magistracy, so we can – and we do – influence and advocate on our members’ behalf, on the issues that matter to them:
- We’ve successfully pushed for improvements to family induction training and minimum expectations for public law allocation, and we continue to call for meaningful public law work and safer, more secure family courts for our members.
- Our Family Court Committee is made up of family magistrate members. It engages with senior stakeholders and represents members on key working groups and monitoring bodies, including the Family Magistrates’ Oversight Group and the Cafcass Board.
- We speak up for magistrates in the media, securing 2,345 pieces of profile-raising media coverage in the year 2024/25 and we regularly respond to unfavourable or misleading coverage of family magistrates and their work.
STAY UP-TO-DATE
We are the key source of news, updates and opinions relevant to the magistracy – sharing best practice, important family sector updates and upcoming events with members in our email newsletter and quarterly magazine:
- We offer thought leadership and debate about the family courts through exclusive website, eNews and magazine articles, and we host an annual policy webinar for family members to share updates and gather views on future priorities.
- We publish the only magazine dedicated to the magistracy, and every edition includes family-specific articles and reports.
- We engage with family members on social media, celebrating successes and sharing relevant, time-sensitive events, opportunities and developments from the MA and beyond.
SUPPORT WHEN YOU NEED IT
We know the family courts can be uniquely emotive and challenging, so we provide our members with support and signposting when they need it:
- We support members at every stage of their magisterial journey, from applying to retiring and beyond.
- Our diversity and inclusion networks provide a supportive environment for groups that are currently underrepresented in the magistracy.
- We have a support line for members looking for a friendly ear, practical guidance and signposting from fellow magistrates who understand the issues and how to help.
How to join
If you’re applying to be a magistrate or are just interested, you can join us as an Associate member. If you’re already sitting in the family courts, you can join us as a Sitting member to get even more out of your membership. Hundreds of our members sit in more than one jurisdiction and we have wealth of useful information and guidance for adult, family and youth magistrates alike.
Find out more about our different membership options, the costs of membership, and join the MA today:
