... travelling expenses. Each bench should reflect the area it serves this includes gender, ethicality, occupation and political association. However, getting this balance is secondary to the essential requirement that a candidate must be personally suitable for position. So, what personal qualities must a magistrate possess? Firstly, the candidate must be of good character, this means they must be fair and look at the case from an open-minded point of view. Another characteristic you must have is personal integrity, this means you must be honest this is important so that the magistrates don't lie, also this means JP's shouldn't talk about an ongoing case with other people. Thirdly, a magistrate must have sound common sense because they will be looking at serious issues and will need to be able to come to a fair conclusion, which brings us to the forth point, the ability to weigh up evidence and reach reasoned decisions. Another important ...

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