Branch commitments and expectations 2025
This document details the support that branches can expect from head office, and the expectations of branches.
- Volunteer only
Member support line
Staffed by experienced MA members, our support line can provide a listening ear and signpost you to other services.
Candidates for the MA’s Board of Trustees announced
13 candidates. Three vacancies. Your vote counts. This year’s trustee election is the most hotly contested in years, with a record 13 members standing for the board. Find out who’s standing and get ready to vote from 18 August.
- Practicalities of being a magistrate
Subscription increase 2024
Become a member
If you join the Magistrates' Association, you’ll get access to a wealth of benefits to help you be the best magistrate you can be.
Terms & Conditions – Ordinary Members
Terms & Conditions – Associate Members
Complaints
The MA's complaints and disciplinary procedure.
AGM and Conference 2025
Looking back on a year in post
Tom Franklin took up the role of the CEO of the Magistrates' Association at the end of May 2021. As he approaches his first anniversary in post, he reflects on the last 12 months and shares what's on the horizon for the year ahead.
- Wider justice system
Life-changing and lifesaving support for veterans in the justice system
In this guest blog, Op NOVA national manager Colin Back discusses the life-changing and often life-saving impact of England's first fully-commissioned, nationally available support service for veterans in the justice system.
- Wider justice system
Get support
We provide peer support when being a magistrate feels tough.
Seven tips for recruiting new members
We have compiled seven tips to support our branch volunteers in recruiting new members.
- Practicalities of being a magistrate
- Volunteer only
Five tips for ensuring you’re catering to members’ needs and interests
We've compiled five pointers and a case study from our North and East Devon branch to help our branch volunteers continue delivering member-driven activities.
- Practicalities of being a magistrate
- Volunteer only
Four tips for engaging our retired members
We've compiled four pointers to assist our branch volunteers in engaging our members who have retired from the magistracy.
- Practicalities of being a magistrate
- Volunteer only
Magistrates’ Association council meets to discuss growth plans and open justice
At the beginning of May, the MA's council met in London to review our plans to improve the member offer and grow membership over the next few years. It also discussed the theme of this year's annual conference: open justice and transparency in magistrates' courts.
- Practicalities of being a magistrate
- Volunteer only
- Wider justice system
The Magistrates’ Association meets its branches: autumn 2022
This month we kicked off a new series of regional meetings to find out more about the issues that are on our branch executives' minds and to answer their burning questions. We also held our biannual council meeting, where we discussed our offer to retired members and family magistrates, and the proposed abolition of local justice areas.
- Member only
- Practicalities of being a magistrate
- Wider justice system
Looking back on two years as your national chair
Mark Beattie took up the role of the national chair of the Magistrates' Association on 15 October 2022. In this blog, he reflects on the last two years under his leadership and shares what is on the horizon for the year ahead.
- Practicalities of being a magistrate
- Wider justice system
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Three MA members awarded in New Year Honours
Our members were recognised for their services to the administration of justice as magistrates.
- Practicalities of being a magistrate
- Wider justice system
