Magistrates serving Liverpool and Knowsley will be granted the Freedom of the City next week – Tuesday 22 October.
On Tuesday 22 October, the Magistrates, known as The Justices of Peace will be admitted to the Freedom Roll of Associations and Institutions of the City of Liverpool in recognition of the important role they play in the city’s judicial system.
There are currently 285 Magistrates and these are all trained, unpaid members of the local community, who sit in court part-time, dealing with over 20,000 cases each year and sitting for over 13,000 hours to make our communities a safer place to live.
Liverpool’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Gary Millar, said: “Awarding the Freedom of the City is the highest honour we can bestow.
“I am delighted to be adding the Magistrates, past and present, to the long list of recipients.
“Each of these volunteers works tirelessly and selflessly under immense pressure and often dealing with unpleasant, upsetting and difficult situations. As such they are an integral part of the criminal justice system.
“The city of Liverpool is a better, safer place to live and work thanks to their knowledge, dedication, commitment and efforts; I congratulate and thank them for their vital contribution.”
The Magistrates deal with over 95% of all criminal cases, either in the adult court, or in the youth court and refer serious cases to the higher courts, consider bail applications, deal with fine enforcement and grant search warrant and right of entry applications. In addition they look after the Family Proceedings Court, including Care, Residence, Contact and Adoption.
