Thousands step forward in record magistrate recruitment drive

More than 3,800 new magistrates have been recruited under this Government to help get more cases heard.

More than 3,800 local champions recruited under this Government
First-of-its-kind audio recording pilot launched in magistrates’ courts
Part of Government’s plan to deliver a stronger justice system for victims

Victims of crime will benefit from a major boost to court capacity, with more than 3,800 new magistrates recruited under this Government to help get more cases heard.

In the first six months of 2026, almost 1,500 local justice champions have been appointed to serve their communities - almost double the number recruited in the same period the previous year - accelerating efforts to bolster capacity in the magistrates’ courts.

Aiming to build a magistracy that reflects modern Britain, recent statistics have shown women accounted for 55% of new appointments with more than a third of new recruits under the age of under 50.

It comes as the Government launched a £4 million recruitment campaign across national television and social media, encouraging the public to step forward and serve their communities and deliver justice, in a bid to deliver a 21,000-strong magistracy in 2028/29.

The additional resource in the magistrates’ courts will boost capacity, get more cases heard and build a stronger justice system.

Minister for Courts and Legal Services, Sarah Sackman KC MP said:

A record number of people have answered the call to serve their communities as magistrates, marking a major milestone in our drive to strengthen justice.

Magistrates are at the heart of local justice, and their commitment will help keep cases moving, ease pressure on our courts and ensure communities continue to get the justice they deserve.

Alongside the recruitment of more magistrates, the Government is testing new technology that will help transform audio recordings in the courtroom.

The technology will be piloted to create a robust and reliable record of proceedings in the magistrates’ courts, modernising the appeals process and freeing up valuable court time.

Running across seven courtrooms nationwide, the courts will test the technology’s effectiveness and its potential to support a more streamlined court system.

This work is part of the Government’s drive to modernise the court system and overhaul the appeals process by replacing the automatic right of appeal with a permission stage, allowing courts to decide whether a case should proceed.

It’s work forms part of the Government’s response to Lord Leveson’s review of the Criminal Courts, which set out a blueprint for modernising the criminal courts and tackling the inherited Crown Court backlog.

The Courts and Tribunals Bill was backed by overwhelming support in the House of Commons and entered the House of Lords on 14 October. The Government amended the Bill to remove proposals to limit jury trials, ensuring almost all Crown Court cases will continue to be heard by a jury.