Cheshire Crime July 2025

About this role

PLEASE READ THIS INFORMATION CAREFULLY

Before you submit your application, you are required to attend two separate observation visits before a bench of two or three lay magistrates (not a District Judge court). Observations are done face-to-face in the Magistrates' Courts, and there is no need to pre-book. These visits must have taken place within the previous 12 months from the date of your application i.e. before you apply for this role. Failure to complete the observations within the timescale referred to will result in your application being rejected. When submitting an application, you will be required to include detailed notes of the cases you observed along with your own thoughts. In the event that you are successful, these notes are presented to those interviewing.

The Cheshire Magistrates' (Criminal) Courts sit at the following courthouses:

• Chester Magistrates' Court, Grosvenor Street, Chester CH1 2XA
• Crewe Magistrates' Court, The Law Courts, Civic Centre, Crewe CW1 2DT
• Warrington Magistrates' Court, Warrington Law Courts, Legh Street, Warrington WA1 1UR

Successful applicants will be allocated a home court site (based on the above list) at which they will be allocated 70% of their sittings, however the expectation is that all applicants must then be able to undertake the remaining 30% at the other courthouse locations in Cheshire. However, in cases where reasonable adjustments are considered and in discussion with the Bench Chair, a dispensation may be granted in regard to this.

Before applying, please give careful consideration to the requirement regarding sittings. All magistrates are required by the Declaration and Undertaking, signed upon appointment, to sit no less than 13 full days a year. The requirement actually states 26 half-days but rarely are half-day sittings able to be accommodated. Due to the fluid nature of court business, there are occasions when sittings are cancelled by the court, sometimes at lunchtime on the day if there is insufficient business for the afternoon. However, such cancellations do not count towards the requirement. Therefore, magistrates must seek to replace these if necessary to ensure they comply with the requirement. This information is provided to enable employed applicants to include this consideration when discussing the matter with their employer.

Sittings are arranged via an online portal and overseen by an administrative team which provides for two rota periods each year [1^st April – 30^th September and from 1^st October – 31^st March]. The sitting year runs from April to March and magistrates' sittings are reviewed in April each year. Magistrates who consistently fail to achieve the minimum sitting requirement may be subject to formal removal from office by the Lord Chancellor.

It is a magistrate's own responsibility to ensure that they achieve the minimum require. 

Please click “Apply” to confirm that you have read the guidance and to start your application form.