What’s it like working as a family court magistrate?
With this role you will gain insights into a range of child welfare issues and be able to make a tangible difference to the community as a whole. It can mean you might deal with some difficult emotional situations, but you’ll have support and dedicated training to help you develop the skills you’ll need to handle them effectively.
What will I do?
As a magistrate in the family court, you could be:
- making decisions that affect vulnerable children
- supporting separated parents in making arrangements for their children
- enforcing child maintenance orders
- helping prevent domestic abuse
It’s an important role in which you can have a significant impact on a child’s life and welfare, and a family’s future.
Court observations
As family court cases are heard in private, you will not be able to observe a family court hearing before you apply. Applicants to the family court are required to carry out research into the family court before they apply, which may include watching videos and reading information on the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary website, as well as researching more widely
In addition, you may also choose to visit a criminal magistrates court to observe proceedings and get a sense of what being a magistrate entails.
See below for two roleplay videos designed to give you an insight into the role of a magistrate in the family court:
Video 1 – A Public Law Case
Video 2 – A Private Law Case