as in judges
a public official having authority to decide questions of law
chose to take their case before the local magistrate
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Recent Examples of magistrates
Another major change concerned the High Judicial Council, which oversees magistrates’ appointments and disciplinary matters.
—
ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
Petro did not participate in the attack, which left several guerrillas and around half the high court's magistrates dead.
—Arkansas Online, 21 Mar. 2026
When are magistrates going to keep bad guys behind bars?
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 7 Mar. 2026
Unlike the first trial in Avignon, which was overseen by five professional magistrates, the appeal trial was judged by a jury, and this time citizens had their say.
—Gaby Wood, Vogue, 21 Feb. 2026
Judges and magistrates are required to follow the law and constitutional standards in every case and cannot make decisions based on ideology or public pressure.
—Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026
The district judge declined her jurisdictional prerogatives, saying that the case was too serious to be settled in a magistrates’ court and must be heard by a Crown Court, which deals with the most severe criminal offenses.
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Investigating magistrates have filed preliminary charges against three men and one woman who were arrested last month.
—CBS News, 25 Nov. 2025
The situation, the magistrates conceded, was tricky.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
Petro did not participate in the attack, which left several guerrillas and around half the high court's magistrates dead.
—Arkansas Online, 21 Mar. 2026
When are magistrates going to keep bad guys behind bars?
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 7 Mar. 2026
Unlike the first trial in Avignon, which was overseen by five professional magistrates, the appeal trial was judged by a jury, and this time citizens had their say.
—Gaby Wood, Vogue, 21 Feb. 2026
Judges and magistrates are required to follow the law and constitutional standards in every case and cannot make decisions based on ideology or public pressure.
—Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026
The district judge declined her jurisdictional prerogatives, saying that the case was too serious to be settled in a magistrates’ court and must be heard by a Crown Court, which deals with the most severe criminal offenses.
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Investigating magistrates have filed preliminary charges against three men and one woman who were arrested last month.
—CBS News, 25 Nov. 2025
The situation, the magistrates conceded, was tricky.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for magistrates
Noun
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In October, the Justice Department filed criminal charges against James that have since been thrown out successive times by federal judges.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
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The foundation’s judges and awards subcommittee members – the latter a volunteer group of industry professionals, academics, writers and reviewers that changes every year – also search on their own.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Jim Steyer, the chief executive of Common Sense Media, said the outcomes so far show that the courts, state legislatures and foreign governments are now aligning to reshape Silicon Valley.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Mar. 2026
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While some of the students were flying through the sky for dunks and layups, the impact of the courts goes beyond hoops, too.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Magistrates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/magistrates. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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