With a system under pressure and a need for more diversity, the Ministry of Justice is on the lookout for new volunteers to serve as magistrates in Cornwall and the south west.

But who can apply, and what does the role entail? Let us bust some myths about what goes on in the courtroom, with the help of magistrate Andrew, 44, from Truro.

This is a complete myth! Not only do you not require a law degree to become a magistrate, you do not need any legal background or experience. You’ll get support from a fully-qualified legal adviser to help with every case and all new magistrates will have training to understand their role.

The judiciary want as many people from as many different walks of life as possible, as magistrates will listen to cases concerning people from right across the community.

Andrew said: “I am the CEO of a consultancy company and I wanted to do something a bit different. Now I sit with two other volunteer magistrates and make decisions that can change lives.

“It is a lot of responsibility but we have legal advisers on hand to make sure we know what we are doing.”

Again, this is a myth! Magistrates are volunteers – which means they are not paid – who must serve at least 13 days per year, plus training.

Many magistrates do more days than this but it depends on every person’s situation.

Employers are legally required to allow time off for this important public role. If your employer does not allow paid time off, or you are self employed, you can claim loss of earnings of up to £134.96 per day.

Andrew said: “If you are interested in becoming a magistrate then speak to your manager straight away. Being a magistrate has made me better at my day job.”

It is not just a role for retired people! It is important to have people from all sections of society serving, and the number of magistrates who volunteer while in full-time employment is growing all the time.

The minimum age is 18 and there is flexibility around sitting days which could be ideal for somebody who works shifts or is still in education.

After an initial half-day training session, magistrates have a three or five-day introductory training programme and then are assigned a mentor to help them learn and develop as they settle into the role.

All training is free, and magistrates receive expenses for the days they attend.

Sound good? Make the first step to becoming a magistrate by visiting magistrates.judiciary.uk