Consent To Proceed

A district judge who is thinking of referring a dispositive motion should instead encourage full or limited consent by the parties for the magistrate judge to decide the motion. Many district courts no longer refer dis- positive motions to magistrate judges as a means of making better use of their magistrate judges.

The official title of these judges is United States Magistrate Judge. To be consistent with the position's judicial role and official title as prescribed by law, a United States Magistrate Judge should be addressed, orally and in writing, as Judge.

Magistrates have fewer and more limited powers than judges. They can hear different types of cases. Judges generally hear larger, more complex cases while magistrates hear smaller matters such as petty crime and traffic offenses.There is a difference between the power given to a judge over a magistrate.

A judge may designate a magistrate judge to hear and determine any pretrial matter pending before the court, except a motion for injunctive relief, for judgment on the pleadings, for summary judgment, to dismiss or quash an indictment or information made by the defendant, to suppress evidence in a criminal case, to

In criminal proceedings, magistrate judges preside over misdemeanor and petty offense cases, and as to all criminal cases (felony and misdemeanor) may issue search warrants, arrest warrants, and summonses, accept criminal complaints, conduct initial appearance proceedings and detention hearings, set bail or other

If the magistrates agree to this, the case will be dismissed. This is uncommon, but possible usually only when there are clear inconsistencies in the prosecution evidence.

Magistrate Judges should have this title after their name (The Honorable First M. Last, Magistrate Judge). It will still be Dear Judge Last after that.

While district judges are nominated by the President and confirmed by the United States Senate for lifetime tenure, magistrate judges are appointed by a majority vote of the federal district judges of a particular district and serve terms of eight years if full-time, or four years if part-time, and may be reappointed.