Officials search for 4,000 new magistrates in huge recruitment drive to beat case backlog in courts

Ministers describe the massive recruitment drive as one of the most important in magistracy’s 650-year history.

Dominic Raab, Justice Secretary, said that the program would reduce the backlog of over 300,000.

He today launches a £1million campaign to recruit around 4,000 people from all walks of life as lay judges.

Ministers describe the massive recruitment drive as one of the most significant in the magistracy’s 650 year history. Dominic Raab, Justice Minister (pictured yesterday), stated that the programme will help to reduce the 300,000 case backlogs created during the pandemic.

Mr Raab said: ‘Magistrates are the unsung heroes of the justice system and we want people from every part of society represented in their ranks.

‘This recruitment drive will ensure magistrates can play an even greater role in restoring the swift justice the public deserve.’

A Ministry of Justice spokesman added: ‘It represents the largest recruitment effort in the 650-year history of the magistracy and could increase the workforce by up to a third in the coming years.’

This campaign will be targeted at younger people in order to lower the average age for the magistracy of England and Wales. 

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: ‘[The campaign]This represents the biggest recruitment effort in the magistracy’s 650-year history and could lead to an increase in workforce of up to a quarter in the future. (Westminster Magistrates Court, Marylebone Road).

Anybody over the age of 18 may sign up, and volunteers must dedicate at least 13 days per year.

Raab, who announced last week plans to double maximum prison sentence that magistrates could impose to twelve months, said this.

It is anticipated that this will reduce the amount of Crown Court cases.