| Type | Charitable organization |
|---|---|
| Registration No. | England and Wales: 216066 |
| Founded | 1921 |
| Location | 28 Fitzroy Square, London, W1T 6DD |
| Origins | Founded in 1921 |
| Area served | England and Wales |
| Focus | Criminal Justice |
| Members | c. 28,000 |
| Website | www.magistrates-association.org.uk |
The Magistrates' Association is the membership organisation for magistrates in England and Wales. By virtue of its training functions, it is a charitable organization and is funded by its members to represent their interests.
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The idea of forming an association of magistrates came from a Derby magistrate, Alderman Wilkins, in 1920. The inaugural meeting of the Association was held at Central Hall, Westminster on 28 October 1921. Lord Haldane was elected the Association's first President.
By 1945, membership had grown to 5,288 members, and it had 16,354 at its fiftieth Anniversary in 1970. Today, it represents over 80% of active magistrates.[1][2]
It received a Royal Charter in October 1962.
The Association was established to:
Since 1969, it has helped to develop various sentencing guidelines. It also organises conferences and publishes a journal, The Magistrate, ten times a year. Members also participate in local branch activities, with each branch nominating representatives to the organisation's Council. Various standing committees are populated by Council members and focus on specific areas of magistrates' activities (eg: road traffic, family courts, youth courts, etc).