Magistrate

A magistrate is a person who helps make decisions in a court. They're like a grown-up who helps rule on things you might disagree with another person about, like if someone broke a rule or made a bad choice.

Magistrates are usually chosen because they know a lot about the law and have experience in the legal system. They might listen to people, ask questions and then decide what should happen in each case. They also make sure that everyone follows the rules while they're in the court.

Even though they might look like a judge, magistrates don't have the same amount of power as a judge. They usually handle smaller cases, like traffic violations or minor criminal offenses. Sometimes, people can choose to have a case heard by a magistrate instead of a judge if they think it might be simpler or faster.

So, magistrates are special helpers in the court who listen to people and make decisions to help keep things fair and equal for everyone.