A magistrate is a person who is authorized by the government to act as a judge in a local court. They preside over hearings, make decisions, and ensure that laws are followed. Full definition
Note 1: For proceedings under the Family Law Act 1975, see in particular Parts II, III, IIIA and IIIB of that Act, which contain provisions dealing with family counselling, family dispute resolution and other processes that apply to the Federal Magistrates Court in relation to proceedings under that Act. (legislation.gov.au)
Out of the 1.7 m cases heard in magistrates courts last year, only 3.5 % were remanded to jail. (slaw.ca)
Mr. Hueston previously served as a Central District of California Merit Selection Panel member to assist the U.S. District Court with the appointment and reappointment of magistrate judges. (hueston.com)