ABSTRACT
Justices of the Peace (who generally comprise of two or three on the bench) are unpaid members of the public who have volunteered to carry out this work. No formal qualifications are required, although they do sit through certain interviews and are assessed. Ideally, they should represent a true crosssection of the public. The concept behind the English legal system is that ‘one should be tried by one’s peers’. Occasionally, if a case raises complex questions of fact or law or is more serious, it may be listed before a district judge (magistrates’ court), who is a solicitor or barrister of at least seven years’ experience. A district judge is a civil servant, who is paid a salary, as opposed to lay justices, who are unpaid and receive expenses only.
