How to Become a County Magistrate Judge
You can find judges at all levels of the legal system. They range from those who sit on the U.S. Supreme Court (considered to be the most prestigious judicial positions) to those who operate as local and county magistrates (who generally deal with more minor criminal infractions within their jurisdiction). Becoming a county magistrate judge is a long process, and it may take an individual several tries to finally gain the office.
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Instructions
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Earn at least a bachelor's degree in a field related to the court system, such as criminal justice degree, pre-law degree or a law degree. You should also try to get some relevant work experience under your belt as a lawyer (if you have the proper degree and pass the bar), court clerk or even as a police officer. According to Mypursuit.com, it's only state and federal judges that need to hold a law degree and have experience practicing law; lower judges like magistrates and traffic judges don't need that kind of work experience. The combination of your legal experience and your educational degree will make your initial case for a position as a county magistrate.
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Find out how county magistrates get their positions in your county. These judges may be appointed by higher-ups in the court or elected by the people. If the latter is the case, you'll need to campaign for the position to make people aware of you and to get them to vote for you. If magistrates are appointed, you'll need to put your case forward to the court and make yourself and your qualifications known to the board that appoints magistrates. One way to do this is to achieve a lower position in the court such as a traffic court judge, which will show your aptitude for a higher ranking position.
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Go through the "hiring process." A magistrate will have to show the court that he has the necessary experience and intelligence for the position. This often takes the form of investigations by court authorities, interviews with judges and filling out several questionnaires that will act as sample cases. If a candidate is found to be incompetent (rarely the case if she makes it this far), she will not be allowed to take on the role of a county magistrate.
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Tips & Warnings
The more education and experience you have, the better. You don't necessarily have to be a lawyer, but courtroom experience has been a benchmark for judges for a long time. Court clerks and legal professors, however, may also have a good case for becoming county magistrates because of their familiarity and knowledge as well.
There are other prerequisites for becoming a magistrate that will vary from county to county. Most counties require magistrates to be residents of the county they sit in, but there may also be age requirements that stop a young person from becoming a magistrate. Check at the county courthouse to see what other prerequisites for being a magistrate are in your county.
