Law Report
How stressful is it to be a judge or magistrate?
Dec 17, 2024
Carly Schriever, a lawyer and empirical psychologist, dives into her groundbreaking research on the psychological health of judges. She reveals how magistrates experience higher stress and burnout due to limited autonomy compared to higher court judges. The podcast discusses the intense emotional toll of heavy workloads, particularly in sensitive cases like family violence, and the stigma surrounding mental health in the judiciary. Schriever emphasizes the critical need for systemic changes and supportive initiatives to prioritize the wellbeing of judicial officers.
28:35
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Quick takeaways
- Magistrates are particularly stressed due to overwhelming workloads that prevent them from adequately addressing complex cases, impacting justice quality.
- Judicial officers face cultural stigmas that hinder discussions about mental health, yet breaking this silence can improve their job satisfaction and workload management.
Deep dives
The Psychological Toll on Judges
Judges and magistrates experience significant stress, with research indicating that those at the lower levels of the judicial hierarchy, specifically magistrates, have particularly high stress levels. This stems largely from a lack of autonomy in their roles, which compounds feelings of burnout. For magistrates, heavy workloads contribute to the pressure, as many face overwhelming case lists, sometimes managing 60 to 70 cases per day. This intense volume leaves them feeling that they cannot adequately address the nuances and complexities of each case, particularly in sensitive matters like family violence.
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