Long-serving magistrate urges Harrogate residents to step forward

Yorkshire’s recently retired longest-serving magistrate is encouraging people from all walks of life in Harrogate and the county to become a magistrate.

This is part of a national recruitment drive launched today (24 September), which aims to show that many people already have what it takes for the role.  

The campaign ‘You’ve got the makings of a magistrate’ highlights the skills people use every day - such as fair judgement, empathy, problem-solving and teamwork - and shows that these qualities, rather than a legal background or experience, are at the heart of being a magistrate.

The campaign is part of the government's drive to build a 21,000-strong magistracy in 2028/29. 

Having just turned 75, Julia Samways recently retired from serving as a magistrate across West and North Yorkshire, which she did alongside a successful career in training and development 

When she became a magistrate in 1987, things were a little different. That year, Genesis played a huge open-air concert in Roundhay Park, the Chapeltown riots happened and Leeds United were losing FA Cup semi-finalists.   

After the birth of her second son, she left her role in the engineering industry, and became self-employed as a trainer and consultant.

Having always been interested in the law and recognising that self-employment would allow her greater control over her time, she also decided to apply to become a magistrate.  

Julia said the skills from her professional career proved invaluable in court. Her expertise in communication, training, presentation and assertiveness helped her chair hearings, communicate effectively with court users and guide discussions.  

At the same time, she said the magistracy enhanced her professional abilities, including helping her to consider different viewpoints and make balanced decisions.  

Beyond the courtroom, she has enjoyed helping newer magistrates develop, mentoring colleagues informally and sharing lessons learned from nearly 40 years' experience.

Julia said:  “I'd always been interested in the law, and when I became self-employed I finally had the flexibility to do something I'd wanted to do for years.   

"Being a magistrate is incredibly grounding. You come face to face with people whose lives and experiences may be very different from your own, and it gives you a much deeper understanding of society. 

"People often think magistrates are there simply to sentence offenders but so much of the role is about understanding people, communicating clearly and helping where you can. 

"When I joined, the role was very different and the support available to magistrates today, including  mentoring and appraisals, is vastly different and much stronger. 

"I've seen the courts move from handwritten paperwork to digital systems, but the most important thing hasn't changed. Magistrates are still ordinary people serving their communities." 

Julia says she will keep herself busy after retiring from the magistracy, continuing to work, as well as spending more time with her grandchildren and playing more golf.

She is encouraging the next wave of magistrates to come forward and serve their communities like she has.

She added: "The strength of the magistracy comes from having people from all walks of life sitting together and bringing their different experiences to the decision-making process.

"You don't become a magistrate for status. You do it because you genuinely want to give something back and make a contribution to your community. 

"Every time you sit in court, you learn something new. If you're open-minded, willing to learn and prepared to listen to others, magistracy can be one of the most rewarding things you'll ever do. 

"It gives you confidence, perspective and skills that you can transfer into every other part of your life. 

"Nearly 40 years on, it's still one of the most rewarding things I've ever done." 

Magistrates make real decisions that affect real people and they currently hear around 95 per cent of criminal cases. Magistrates volunteer for a minimum of 13 days a year, and receive full training and support from a legal adviser.  

The new national recruitment campaign will launch across TV, audio and social media channels from today. 

Justice Minister, Sarah Sackman KC MP said: "Many people think becoming a magistrate isn't for them.

"But magistrates are ordinary members of the public making an extraordinary contribution to their communities.

"If you're fair-minded, able to make balanced decisions and work well as part of a team, you already have the makings of a magistrate.  

“This is about local people delivering local justice. It hands real power and real trust to local people, so that justice is decided by the community it serves.” 

Catherine Feast, Chief Executive of the Magistrates’ Association, said: “A good magistrate is a team player, a problem-solver, a good listener, and shows good judgement and empathy in court.

"These are qualities that many people have, and we’d encourage anyone who thinks they have what it takes to do this demanding but rewarding role, to take the next step and apply to become a magistrate.”  

New research commissioned for the campaign reveals widespread misconceptions about magistrates and what they do.

Only 32 per cent of British Adults surveyed correctly identified magistrates as volunteers from their local community.

Nearly two thirds (61 per cent) wrongly believed magistrates are legal professionals such as judges or paid court professionals rather than volunteers from their local community.   

When asked whether they personally had the skills needed to be a magistrate, around half believed they had the skills and qualities needed to become a magistrate. Yet when shown the actual skills required, even more recognised those qualities in themselves, including fair judgement (75 per cent), listening (72 per cent), remaining calm under pressure (64 per cent), empathy (62 per cent), problem-solving (60 per cent) and teamwork (48 per cent).  

Find out more: BecomeAMagistrate.uk