Justice of the Peace

A Justice of the Peace (JP) is a magistrate appointed by a commission to keep the peace, dispense summary justice and deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions. Justices of the Peace are appointed from the citizens of the jurisdiction in which they serve, and are (or were) usually not required to have a formal legal education in order to qualify for the office.

England and Wales

A Magistrate's court in England and Wales is composed of a bench of (usually three) J.P.s, who dispense summary justice. They are advised on points of law by a legally-qualified clerk. In many towns there are also stipendiary magistrates (a.k.a. "stipes"), now known as District Judges.

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Magistrates' courts today can deal with minor offences (fines of up to £5,000 and imprisonment of up to twelve months) and handle over 95% of the criminal cases in England and Wales and Northern Ireland. With more serious offences, magistrates are responsible for indictment and committal to the Crown Court (a task in former times dealt with by a grand jury). Magistrates also deal with minor civil matters, such as licensing applications, although these functions will be removed from them under changes to the licensing laws which take effect at the end of 2005. See also Magistrate's court.

Related Topics:
England and Wales - Northern Ireland - Indictment - Crown Court - Grand jury - Magistrate's court

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