magistrate

IPA/ˈmædʒɪstreɪt/
KK[mˈædʒəstrˌet]IPA/ˈmædʒɪstreɪt/

magistrate — noun

  • magistratesingular
  • magistratesplural

1. in the English and Welsh legal system, someone who judges minor criminal cases i

1.nounB2
Definition

in the English and Welsh legal system, someone who judges minor criminal cases in a lower court, typically without being a paid professional lawyer.

Example

The magistrate ordered Mateo to pay a fine for damaging a neighbour's fence.

Kian appeared before the local magistrates after he was caught cycling without lights at night.

collocation: appear before a magistrate

Common collocations
  • appear before a magistrate
  • magistrate's court
  • lay magistrate
  • local magistrate
  • become a magistrate
  • magistrate's order
Synonyms
  • justice of the peace

    the same role but the formal title used in many English-speaking countries besides England and Wales

  • lay judge

    a general term for any non-professional judge, including magistrates in volunteer systems

Grammar Patterns

appear before a magistrate

magistrate + verb (singular/plural)

Usage Note

Frequently called a Justice of the Peace (JP) in other common-law countries. Magistrates in England and Wales are usually unpaid volunteers (lay magistrates) who sit in groups of three and are advised on the law by a trained legal adviser.

Common Mistakes

The magistrate sent him to prison for ten years.
The magistrate fined him for the minor offence.
Magistrates in the UK can only impose short sentences (up to 6 months) for less serious crimes; longer sentences go to the Crown Court.

2. in the US federal court system, a judge who deals with minor legal matters and c

2.nounC1
Definition

in the US federal court system, a judge who deals with minor legal matters and carries out pretrial duties for a district judge — for example, setting bail amounts or checking the evidence before a trial begins.

Example

The federal magistrate reviewed the court documents before the district judge took over the case.

federal magistrate (US-specific title)

The lawyer asked the magistrate to lower bail so Christopher could await trial at home.

magistrate sets bail (pretrial role)

Common collocations
  • federal magistrate
  • magistrate judge
  • pretrial hearing
  • set bail
  • review evidence
  • magistrate's recommendation
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

federal magistrate + verb

magistrate + hears/reviews/decides

Usage Note

In US federal courts the official title is 'United States magistrate judge'. This role was created to help district judges manage their heavy workload. Unlike UK lay magistrates, US federal magistrate judges are fully trained lawyers appointed for a fixed term.

Common Mistakes

A US magistrate is the same as a UK magistrate.
A US federal magistrate judge is a trained lawyer who handles pretrial work, while a UK magistrate is often a volunteer without legal training.
The roles share a name but differ greatly in qualifications and duties.

3. in a US state court system, a judge who hears less serious criminal cases, such

3.nounC1
Definition

in a US state court system, a judge who hears less serious criminal cases, such as traffic violations, small claims disputes, or minor theft offences.

Example

The state magistrate fined Amihan a hundred dollars for running a red light.

state magistrate (US state-level title)

Kabir explained to the magistrate why he had not paid last year's court fines.

Common collocations
  • state magistrate
  • county magistrate
  • traffic court
  • small claims
  • eviction case
  • issue a warrant
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

state magistrate + verb

before a state magistrate

Usage Note

Each US state decides the exact powers of its magistrates; some states call them 'county court judges' or simply 'magistrates'. They typically handle the lowest level of criminal offences and minor civil cases such as small claims (disputes under a certain dollar amount).

Common Mistakes

All US magistrates work for the federal government.
Most US magistrates work at the state level, handling local cases like traffic tickets and small claims.
Only federal magistrate judges work for the national court system; state magistrates are employed by individual states.

Word family

  • magistrates
    noun (plural)B2
  • magisterial
    adjectiveC1
  • magistracy
    nounC2
  • magistrate's court
    noun phraseB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

In the UK, a 'judge' is a trained legal professional who presides over serious criminal or civil cases in higher courts (such as the Crown Court or High Court) and is addressed as 'Your Honour' or 'My Lord'. A 'magistrate' (or 'lay magistrate') is an unpaid volunteer without formal legal training who hears minor cases in a 'magistrate's court' and is usually addressed as 'Your Worship' or 'Sir/Madam'. A 'justice of the peace' (JP) is essentially the same role as a magistrate but is the formal title used in many Commonwealth countries (e.g. Canada, Australia, New Zealand) and some US states. While all three roles involve judging cases, the key difference is the level of court and the professional status of the person: judges are career lawyers, while magistrates and JPs are typically community volunteers. For example: a defendant charged with shoplifting might go before a magistrate, while someone accused of armed robbery would appear before a judge.

judge ↗justice of the peace ↗magistrate ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • magistrate's court
  • magistrate judge
  • lay magistrate
  • federal magistrate
  • state magistrate
  • county magistrate
  • chief magistrate
  • magistrate's order
  • magistrate's warrant
  • magistrate's hearing

Phrases

  • appear before a magistrate
  • go before a magistrate
  • bring someone before a magistrate
  • be taken before a magistrate
  • serve as a magistrate
  • qualify as a magistrate

Prepositions

  • before a magistrate

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'magistrate' comes from Latin 'magister', meaning 'master' or 'chief'. In ancient Rome, a 'magistratus' was a public official with authority over legal and governmental matters. The word passed into Old French as 'magistrat' and entered English around the 14th century, originally referring to any high civil officer. Over time its meaning narrowed to focus on judicial officials at the lower levels of the court system.