Recruitment begins for new magistrates in court reforms

THOUSANDS of new magistrates are being sought to volunteer in England and Wales as part of efforts to speed up justice for victims.

- LUCY NORTH

The Government has launched a recruitment drive in the new year after setting out reforms to the courts system last month to tackle the crown court backlog.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said more than 2,000 more magistrates have been trained since 2022 and the latest call seeks to increase the number of volunteers by another 2,000 within the next financial year.

Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy said: "Magistrates play a vital role in our court system - hearing thousands of cases across every jurisdiction and delivering justice.