What is Magistrate?
A '''magistrate''' is a law officer who administers the law in a court. The term varies in its use in different countries. In [[ancient Rome]], a ''magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers. They had [[Judiciary|judicial]] and [[executive branch|executive]] powers. A [[Roman consul]] was the highest magistrate. == Recent examples == In some parts of the world, such as [[China]], a magistrate was responsible for administration over a particular geographic area. Today, in some jurisdictions, a magistrate is a judicial officer who hears cases in a lower court. They usually deal with minor or preliminary matters. In [[England]] and [[Wales]] there are two types of magistrates: justices of the peace and district judges. {{Law}} {{authority control}} [[Category:Law occupations]] [[Category:Judges|*]]