Online Degrees

Magistrate Judge Job Information

The average value of the Bachelor degree needed to become a Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates is $2,111,858.00.

Points of Interest

• Judges are legal officers authorized to decide cases in a local, state, or federal court of law. 
• Magistrates are minor legal officers charged with trying minor criminal cases and holding investigations and preliminary hearings for serious criminal cases in a local court of law. 
• Most judges must have a juris doctorate, also called a law degree, while magistrates must have a college degree and knowledge of the law, but a law degree is not required.  
• Job growth for this profession is slower than average through 2018, and judges, magistrates, and magistrate judges can expect to see a decrease of 3% between 2008 and 2018. 

Nature of Work

Judges and magistrates are members of the legal profession. As such, they work for the local, state, or federal governments in the application of the law and the oversight of legal processes in the courts. Their duties can involve overseeing court cases, including arbitration of traffic cases, criminal cases, civil suits, and a wide variety of cases related to industry, privacy, civil rights, and intellectual property, among others. It is essential that both judges and magistrates use their knowledge of the law to oversee court proceedings and apply judgments in a fair, equitable, and constitutional manner for all parties.

As members of the legal profession, judges and magistrates are expected to work with a variety of people, including lawyers, clerks of court, and support personnel throughout the judicial office. Although the most visible aspect of being a judge or magistrate is that of presiding on the bench over court cases, judges and magistrates are required to perform a wide number of duties.

In addition to presiding over court cases, which can include arbitrating disputes between attorneys, conduction of testimony, and ruling on the admissibility of evidence, judges are required to work outside of the courtroom, studying legal briefs, reading documents concerning pleadings and motions, researching legal issues and precedents, writing judgment opinions, and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the court. Judges are also called upon to use their legal knowledge to set precedents in the rare cases in which case law has not been previously established.

During trials, judges will be called upon to instruct the jury after selection. As juries weigh the evidence in criminal and civil cases, they will be guided by the judge’s instruction regarding applicable laws and direct them in their deduction of facts from presented evidence. Judges also hear the verdict the jury reads.

In court cases in which a jury is not required or the defendant waives his or her right to a jury trial, the judge is called upon to decide the case. For criminal cases, the judge must determine the defendant’s guilt or innocence. In civil cases, the judge must determine the compensation or relief to the winning party.

The duties of judges vary according to the jurisdiction and powers of their office. However, it is useful for a judge to have, in addition to strong general legal knowledge, additional legal knowledge related to such areas as psychology, public safety and security, personnel and human relations, administration and management, and law and government.

Judges also need to have developed critical thinking and decision making skills, as well as active listening skills. Strong writing, speaking, and negotiation skills are essential. A judge will be called upon to utilize deductive and inductive reasoning during the course of a case, and it is essential that he also exhibit problem sensitivity in order to maintain order and momentum during a case.

In general, judges can be categorized as the following: general trial court judges, appellate court judges, administrative law judges, municipal court judges, county court judges, magistrates, and justices of the peace.

General trial court judges serve the Federal and State court systems. They are charged with overseeing all cases involving felony offenses, and they try civil cases whose jurisdiction is above that of a lower court.

Appellate court judges are a rarity in the judicial system, as they serve a highly specialized purpose. They serve the Federal and State court systems and hold the power to overrule general trial court judges and administrative law judges. Appellate court judge can overrule legal decisions if they determine a legal error or errors occurred in a case or if an established legal precedent does not support the judgment of a lower court.

Administrative law judges are employed by government agencies to make decisions for them. These decisions may include those made on environment protection issues, social security benefit eligibility, health and safety regulation enforcement, economic regulation requirement compliance, and employment discrimination. Administrative law judges may also be called hearing officers and adjudicators.

Municipal court judges, county court judges, magistrates, and justices of the peace serve at the State and Local level and hear only certain types of cases. Among the types of cases they may oversee are traffic offenses, misdemeanors, pre-trial hearings, and small-claims cases. Judges at this level are generally not required to hold a juris doctorate, though they are required to have a college degree.

Generally, a judge or magistrate will spend his professional time in government offices, courtrooms, and legal libraries. Long weeks are normal in this professional, with many judges averaging over 50 hours a week. Judges are also required to wear robes while presiding over court cases. 

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

The majority of judges have obtained their juris doctorate and worked as lawyers, and this is a requirement for most Federal and State judges. 40 states permit non-lawyers to hold judgeships with limited jurisdiction, generally as a magistrate. To be a federal administrative law judge, the applicant must pass an exam given by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

The path to becoming a judge involves the completion of a four year degree and successful graduation from law school with a juris doctorate. Following this, the individual will need to pass a State Bar Examination to obtain licensure to practice law in the state. Generally, the candidate will then work for a number of years as a lawyer, gaining law experience and a network of legal professionals who support them. If, after they have done all of this, they are still desirous of obtaining a position as a judge, they will need to seek election or appointment.

Degree Requirements

To become a magistrate, the candidate will need to possess a four-year degree. He will also need to apply for the position with the local or state government. Following acceptance for the position, the candidate will be required to do complete a training program before being appointed as a magistrate.

Once appointed by a federal agency, federal administrative law judges enjoy what is, virtually, lifetime tenure. District judges of the federal court also enjoy lifetime appointment. Federal magistrate judges are appointed for eight years. A few State judges are appointed, but the rest, along with local judges, are elected in either partisan or nonpartisan State elections. Their appointments may last four to six years for some trial court judgeships, while other trial court judgeships and appellate judgeships can carry appointments of fourteen years or longer. In most cases, a judicial nominating commission is used to review potential candidates for State and Federal judgeships.

Once attaining an appointment as a judge or achieving election to the bench, a judge can expect to spend his working hours studying case law, legal briefs, and presiding over cases. Advancement in this field is highly competitive, and the only advancement option available to judges, beyond returning to practicing law as a lawyer, is to be appointed to a court with a broader jurisdiction. 

Employment

As of May 2008, 26,350 individuals were employed as judges, magistrates, and magistrate judges. Local government employed 13,430 individuals in this profession. State government employed 12, 930 individuals.

Administrative law judges, adjudicators and hearing officers accounted for 13,140 workers, with State government employing 53% or 7,050 workers. Federal government administrative law judges accounted for 24% of the work force, or 3,220 workers, and local government employed 23%, or 2,870 workers.

Job Outlook

Individuals seeking positions as judges, magistrates, and magistrate judges will encounter a competitive work environment. These positions offer job security and a sense of prestige, and as such, they are highly sought after.

Due to the current economic client, governments are being pressured to limit their budget. As such, the hiring of judges and appointment to new positions will be limited, despite rising caseloads. Federal judges will be particularly effected by this. Job growth for magistrates, judges, and magistrate judges is expected to decline three percent between 2008 and 2018, dropping from 26,900 to 26,200 workers.

However, it should be noted that there will always be a demand for judges. As the United States experiences demographic changes related to immigration, the population ages, and the development of new technology will ensure that judges will be needed to oversee the legal issues that arise. Immigration law will demand a complex understanding of the issues facing the nation and the problems illegal immigrants face in their home countries as well as in the U.S. The aging population will increase demand for new precedents to be set regarding cases of elder abuse guardianship practices. New technologies will require new precedents be set and new laws be crafted related to privacy, copyright, and ethical questions.

Despite the generally fierce competition for these positions, many individuals will continue to seek their advancement in private practice, which is generally more lucrative. As such, those individuals desirous of a judgeship should pay attention to when a judge retires or steps down from the bench, as these vacant positions will need to be filled, as will positions vacated when a judge is elevated to a higher court. They should also pay attention to their State and local elections and begin to develop a political plan to seek election for judicial office.

Projections

Occupational Title: Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates SOC Code: 23-1023 Employment, 2008: 26,900 Projected Employment, 2018: 26,200 Change, 2008-2018: -700 workers or -3%

Occupational Title: Administrative law judges, adjudicators and hearing officers SOC Code: 23-1021 Employment, 2008: 14,400 Projected Employment, 2018: 15,500 Change, 2008-2018: 1,200 workers or 8%

Earnings

Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates earned a mean annual wage of $103,990 and median annual wage of $110, 220, as of May 2008. While the top ten percent earned over $162, 140, the bottom ten percent earned less than $32, 290 annually. The middle 50 percent earned between $51,760 and $141,190 annually. State and local governments employ the majority of judges, and the median annual wage for state judges was $126,080 annually and for local was $77,390. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers earned a median wage of $76,940.

The Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in the Federal court system earned $217,400 annually, as of January 2008. Associate Judges sitting on the Supreme Court averaged $208,100 annually. Judges serving in the federal court of appeals earned $179,500 annually on average. District court judges, judges in the Court of Federal Claims, and judges in the Court of International Trade earned an average annual salary of $169,300. Federal magistrate and bankruptcy judges, those with limited jurisdiction, earned an average of $155,756 annually.

In the highest State courts, chief justices can expect to earn $150,850 on average, with a salary range from $107,404 to $228,856, per a survey conducted in 2008 by the National Center for State Courts. Associate judges in the highest State courts had a salary range from $106,185 to $218,237, with an average salary of $145,194. State intermediate appellate court judges earned a salary which ranged between $105,050 and $204,599, with an average salary $141,263. State judges serving general jurisdiction trial courts earned $130,533 annually on average, with a salary range between $99,234 and $178,789.

In most states, judicial compensation committees review and make recommendation regarding and determine judicial salaries.

In addition to salaried earnings, most judges can expect to receive a wide range of benefits, including health, dental, and life insurance. Most can also expect employer contributions to their retirement plans. Other benefits may include pension plans, expense accounts, judicial immunity protection, and vacation, holiday, and sick leave. 

Wages 

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates: Employment, May 2009: 26,350 Employment RSE: 0.8% Mean Hourly Wage: $49.99 Mean Annual Wage: $103,990 Wage RSE: 1.0%

Percentile wage estimates for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates represented by hourly wage/annual wage: 10th percentile: $15.93/$33,130 25th percentile: $27.11/$56,390 Median (50th percentile): $54.24/$112,830 75th percentile: $68.74/$142,970

Industries with the highest levels of employment for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates: Local Government: 13,140 employees earning an hourly mean wage of $41.02 or an annual mean wage of $85,310. State Government: 12,930 employees earning an hourly mean wage of $59.32 or an annual mean wage of $123,380.

Related Occupations

There are a number of other occupations which require legal training and expertise, including:

• Lawyers Paralegals and legal assistants 
• Private detectives and investigators 
• Law enforcement officers 
• Law clerks 
• Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators

Sources of Additional Information

To obtain information regarding State judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates, contact the National Center for State Courts, 300 Newport Ave., Williamsburg, VA 23185-4147.

To obtain information regarding Federal judges, contact the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, One Columbus Circle, NE., Washington, DC 20544.

Information regarding local courts can be obtained by contact your city or county government.

Related Jobs

People with the educational background, skills, and desire to become a Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates might be well suited to work in one of the following fields as well:

• Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists
• Lawyers