Definition

1. Noun:
   • A paid professional magistrate in the United Kingdom: A stipendiary magistrate is a legally qualified, salaried magistrate appointed to hear cases, primarily criminal matters, in certain courts. Unlike lay magistrates (Justices of the Peace), who are unpaid volunteers, a stipendiary magistrate is a paid professional who typically sits alone.

Usage

• The term "stipendiary magistrate" is a specific legal title used historically and in some current jurisdictions within the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries. It refers to a professional, paid judicial officer.
• In modern England and Wales, the role has largely been replaced by that of a District Judge (Magistrates' Courts), who performs a similar function. However, the term "stipendiary magistrate" may still be used in some contexts or other jurisdictions.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• Historical Context: The office of stipendiary magistrate was created to provide legal expertise in busy urban areas where the volume or complexity of cases warranted a full-time, legally qualified judge.
• Jurisdictional Note: The powers and appointment process (e.g., by the Home Secretary, as in the reference) for a stipendiary magistrate can vary by specific legal system and time period.

Variants and Related Words

• Stipendiary (adjective/noun): Receiving a stipend or salary. As a noun, it can be a short form for "stipendiary magistrate."
  • He was a stipendiary for over twenty years.
• Magistrate (noun): A civil officer who administers the law, especially one who conducts a court that deals with minor offenses and holds preliminary hearings for more serious ones.
• District Judge (Magistrates' Courts) (noun): The modern equivalent in England and Wales.

Synonyms

• Paid magistrate
• Professional magistrate (contrasts with "lay magistrate")

Related Phrases

• To sit as a stipendiary magistrate: To perform the judicial duties of this office.
  • After years at the bar, she now sits as a stipendiary magistrate.

Noun

1. (United Kingdom) a paid magistrate (appointed by the Home Secretary) dealing with police cases