magistrate
/'mædʤistrit/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A civil officer who administers the law: A magistrate is a public official, often a lay judge, who has the authority to administer and enforce the law, particularly in a lower court that handles minor legal matters.
Usage
- A magistrate typically presides over a magistrates' court, which deals with less serious criminal cases, some civil disputes, and preliminary hearings.
- The term emphasizes the official's role in applying the law at a local or community level, often without requiring formal legal qualifications in some jurisdictions (hence "lay judge").
Examples
- Noun:
- The case was heard by a local magistrate.
- She appeared before the magistrate for a speeding violation.
- The magistrate issued a warrant for the suspect's arrest.
Advanced Usage
- "to come up before a magistrate": To appear in a magistrates' court for a legal proceeding.
- He will come up before the magistrate next Tuesday for the hearing.
- "to sit as a magistrate": To serve in the role of a magistrate.
- After retiring, she decided to sit as a magistrate.
Variants and Related Words
- Magistracy (n): The office, term, or jurisdiction of a magistrate.
- He served in the magistracy for over a decade.
- Magisterial (adj): Having or showing the authority of a magistrate; authoritative.
- The judge delivered a magisterial ruling.
Synonyms
- Justice of the Peace (JP): A specific type of magistrate who can perform minor legal duties.
- Judge: A broader term for a public officer who hears and decides cases in a court of law.
Related Phrases
- Magistrates' Court: The specific court where a magistrate presides.
- The matter was settled in the Magistrates' Court.
- Stipendiary Magistrate: A magistrate who is a qualified lawyer and receives a salary for the role.
- The complex case was assigned to a stipendiary magistrate.
Noun
- a lay judge or civil authority who administers the law (especially one who conducts a court dealing with minor offenses)