How to Become a Magistrate

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: October 26, 2022 References Approved

“Magistrate” is a difficult position to define, because it takes on different meanings in different locations. The position of magistrate exists primarily in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and other countries whose legal system derives from English law back to the 12th or 13th century. A magistrate is generally a type of judge, although the specific jurisdiction and level of authority will vary from country to country. In the U.K., a magistrate is a temporary, volunteer position. Within the United States, it can vary from state to state but is generally a full-time, paid position as a judge at some level. This article provides a general overview of the steps you should take if you wish to become a magistrate. For your specific location, you should talk to local magistrates or lawyers, or visit a law school.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Getting the Necessary Education

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Perform well in high school. Although many students in their teenage years have not yet made career choices, if you know early that you wish to become a magistrate, then you need to begin studying hard as early as possible. Earning good grades in high school will provide more opportunities for your future. At the very least, you need a high school diploma to attend college, and you will need the college training to become a magistrate. It is never too early to perform at your best.^{[1]
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Get a bachelor’s degree. The first step toward a job as a magistrate is earning your bachelor’s degree. You need to attend a respected, accredited college or university. If you know already that your focus is to land a job as a magistrate someday, then a degree in a field such as political science, history or English could be useful. You will want to build up your training in reading, writing and analysis.^{[2]
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- Some experts caution against earning a specifically “pre-law” degree if you wish to attend law school. Admission rates to law school are higher for philosophy, economics and journalism majors than for pre-law or criminal studies majors, according to one recent study.^{[3]
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- Whatever major you select, the best advice is to work hard and earn the highest grades you can.
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3
Earn an advanced degree in a legal field. In some locations, you must have a law degree to become a magistrate. In others, you could become a magistrate with only a bachelor’s degree and strong, relevant work experience. In most cases, however, some higher degree beyond a bachelor’s degree will be useful in getting hired.
- As one example, in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, you can become a magistrate with a bachelor’s degree or even a two-year associate’s degree if you have four years of additional relevant work experience.^{[4]
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- Becoming a child support magistrate in the state of Minnesota requires a law degree.^{[5]
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- In the U.K., a magistrate does not require any particular legal training. This is a volunteer position that serves 26 half-day sessions per year, and training will be provided.^{[6]
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Attend law school to maximize your potential. To enhance your chances of getting a job as a magistrate and to increase your earning potential, you may want to attend law school. In some places, the job of “magistrate” is nearly the same as being a judge. To qualify for this type of position, you must have a law degree.^{[7]
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- To earn admission to an accredited law school, in the United States at least, you must earn high scores on the LSAT (Law School Aptitude Test). This is a standardized test that most law schools use as a predictor of success. For help preparing for the LSAT, see Score Higher on the LSAT.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Seeking Practical Training

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Get a job in a “related field.” A magistrate is not generally an entry level position that you can get right after earning your degree. You usually must work for a number of years before you can consider applying for a job as a magistrate at any level. The work you do should be tailored to the level and type of magistrate that you wish to become.
- For one particular magistrate job in the U.S., related fields are defined to include teaching, social services, law enforcement, arbitration or mediation, the court system, or counseling.^{[8]
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- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that most people who become magistrates have worked previously as attorneys. However, they also report that related fields can include arbitrators, mediators, paralegals and private investigators.^{[9]
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- If you wish to be a magistrate in the U.K., you are encouraged to understand documents, follow evidence, analyze problems logically, and communicate effectively. You will want to find related fields that allow you to demonstrate these skills.^{[10]
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Work as a lawyer. In many cases, becoming a magistrate will require that you work for several years as a lawyer first. Some magistrate positions are specialized and will require legal experience in a particular field. Other magistrate positions are more general or administrative. For these positions, more general legal experience will suffice.^{[11]
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- For example, the position of Child Support Magistrate in Minnesota requires that you have seven years of legal experience, particularly in the field of family law and child support law.^{[12]
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Understand the court system. You will maximize your chances of being selected for the position if you are familiar with the court system in which you wish to work. You could do this by getting a lower level job in the court, say as a clerk, and working there for a few years first. Or you might visit the court regularly and observe the magistrates who work there. Court sessions are generally open to the public.
- To be a magistrate in the U.K., you are required to observe court in session at least once (more is recommended) within the twelve months prior to your application.^{[13]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Finding Available Magistrate Jobs

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Use the resources at your law school. If you are a graduate of a law school, there is undoubtedly a careers office that can assist you. These offices routinely employ counselors whose duty is to assist students and alumni in finding employment. If you know that you wish to find a job as a magistrate, speak with a counselor in this office.
- For example, the Career Support Office at George Washington University Law School, in Washington, D.C., offers assistance to current students, alumni, and even prospective students.^{[14]
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- The Harvard University Law School Office of Career Services includes an online resource that allows students and alumni to search for open job opportunities.^{[15]
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  Research source} This is a feature common to many other law schools as well.
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Search official governmental job listings. Most court systems have an administrative office that handles job openings, hiring, and personnel matters. Contact the court where you are interested in working and find out how to learn about job openings. Quite often, there will be a centralized website where you can search by job title and location.
- In the U.K., you are encouraged to review the official site Gov.UK. That site contains information about the position, current or anticipate vacancies, and application information.^{[16]
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- Within the state of Massachusetts, as another example, the official state government site Mass.gov contains a link to Massachusetts Court System jobs. From there, you can search by individual court level or by location to find magistrate jobs throughout the state.^{[17]
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Use Internet job search tools. On the Internet, conduct a general search for “magistrate jobs.” You will instantly find many links to employment sites that contain relevant job listings. Some of the more commonly visited sites are Jobs.com or SimplyHired.com. Many of these sites will allow you to focus your search by desired salary, location, and job title. You can also register for notifications as new listings appear for your desired job.^{[18]
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Community Q&A

Question

To qualify as a magistrate do you need to resign from any boards of non profits one may be on?

Community Answer

There is no single answer to this question. Your own board may have by-laws that limit your working as a magistrate. Also, as a magistrate, you cannot hear cases that directly affect your personal interests. In general, you should be able to serve as a magistrate without resigning from any boards you serve on. However, if a case comes before you that involves your particular organization, or that involves an issue that could directly affect your organization, you may have to recuse yourself from that case. If this happens often, then you may need to resign from the board.