Our legal system is one of our country's pillars. Judges and magistrates are responsible for ensuring that the system runs in line with the law. Most people picture a judge as the person who maintains order in a courtroom by sometimes banging a gavel. 

However, judges have a significantly more significant role. They act as referees in court procedures, ensuring that the rules are obeyed. They also make decisions and pass sentences. Judges and magistrates may specialise in a specific area of law, such as family, civil, or criminal law, depending on their position. 

Magistrates, also known as justices of the peace, can perform wedding ceremonies and manage matters including traffic offences, misdemeanours, small claims disputes, and pre-trial hearings. They usually hold a bachelor's degree or above. Judges are appointed or elected and almost always have law degrees as well as prior experience in the type of courtroom they will preside over. 

Without judges and magistrates, we would almost certainly lose one of our most prized liberties: the right to a fair trial.