SMA is a charity and works to support magistrates and increase public awareness of the role of magistrates in the criminal and civil justice system. Teams of magistrates attend primary, secondary, 6th form colleges, schools, community groups, give presentations and discuss how magistrates are appointed, what kind of cases they deal with, how guilt or innocence is decided, how magistrates decide to sentence and some of the implications of getting a criminal record.

The Magistrates’ Court Mock Trial Competition involves over 4,000 students from over 270 schools and 1,700 legal professional volunteers at 51 courts.

The Magistrates’ Court Mock Trial Competition is part of the Law in Schools programme which helps improve young people’s life skills, their understanding of the justice and the legal system, and helps them to understand that the law touches every aspect of their lives.

The competition creates the foundations for the students to develop into legally capable young people and aims to introduce the legal system to young people in an exciting way that has a lasting impact on all those involved, whilst developing student’s soft skills that will be of use throughout their lives. The pupils who take part in the competition are from many different backgrounds and walks of life. State schools, Free schools and academies from around the country participate in mock trials that take place local to them. In the roles of lawyers, witnesses, magistrates and court staff, students prosecute and defend specially written criminal cases. Teams compete against each other in real Magistrates' courts in front of real magistrates.

The Surrey Magistrates Association

Awarded 2023-2024