Why do lay judges handle most criminal cases in England?

In England and Wales, lay judges—known as magistrates or justices of the peace—handle the vast majority of criminal cases because they are tasked with presiding over magistrates’ courts, which serve as the base of the criminal court system.123

These courts are responsible for hearing all criminal charges initially, disposing of more than 95 percent of all criminal cases. Their role is focused on minor criminal matters, while more serious offenses are committed to a higher court, such as the Crown Court, for trial.2431

This system relies on part-time, unpaid laypeople who are appointed to serve in panels of at least two. While they are not professional judges, they undergo training in basic law and administrative duties, and they receive legal advice from a court clerk. This reliance on lay magistrates is a hallmark of the English legal tradition, which historically emphasizes the application of law by locally appointed individuals.143