You do not get a Judge in the Magistrates court. Unless the offence was committed in London where they have a single magistrate called a Stipend who is also a qualified lawyer, everywhere else there will be three lay people (members of the public) who are magistrates or justices of the peace, and will be advised by the clerk of the court. The downside of the lay magistrates is that they come from the local community, and if a couple of them are fed up seeing speeding motorcyclists before them, or they have a bee in their bonnet about speeding road users, then they could dish out a higher penalty. It might pay you before the court date, to pop in and listen to a few cases and get a feel for the sort of punishments they are dishing out. It might at least give you a flavour of what to expect. And as someone ese has said, go in person, dress smart, don't bullshit them, apologise and show them that you are genuinely remorsefull. It may also pay to go by public transport or get a lift on the day, because you may get a short ban which means that you would be unable to drive or ride home. Unless you can show that losing your licence would cause severe hardship, then any other reason will be disregarded. If you end up before a Judge, you will be in the crown court and you really are in the sh1t in that case. But that does not happen for a straight speeding offence.
That was why I was being ironic Speeding offences are not heard by Judges. Anyone who appears before a Judge is really in the potential sh1t.
A district judge deals with civil cases, not speeding cases, but those that double up as JP's tend to think that they are something special, but at the end of the day road traffic is outside their specialist area so they have to make themselves look good to their colleagues
I got stopped for speeding a few years ago for 88mph in a 50 zone, went to court and received 6 points and a £330 fine with court costs and victims surcharge on top, which is fair enough as if you can't do the time dont do the crime!
Stipendary magistrates, or stipes were at most large magistrates courts throughout England, until the name was abolished in 2000, they are now called "district judges" and can indeed hear your traffic case. If you get one, be nice. I got a bollocking for having a blue shirt on when they thought I should be in white, got sent away to change. Petty minded doesn't cover some of them.
OK, fair play, the definition has changed since my enforcement days, but having spoken to my boss who is a District Judge, he states that 99% of Magistrates outside of the big cities (Leeds, London, Birmingham) are lay magistrates and not formally qualified. The definition of a District Judge is - District judges (magistrates’ courts) hear criminal cases, youth cases and also some civil proceedings in magistrates’ courts. They can be authorised to hear cases in the Family Proceedings Courts. Some are authorised to deal with extradition proceedings and terrorist cases. They are also authorised to sit as Prison Adjudicators. District judges (magistrates’ courts) usually hear cases alone. By virtue of their office they are Justices of the Peace. 99% of district judges deal with civil matters (which is what my boss does) and most of his colleagues do not deal with Magistrates courts at all.
A friend of mine got caught recently, doing 99.4 on the motorway going to the channel tunnel. He plead guilty by post and got 6 points and a £375 fine. Personally I wouldn't bother attending court and all the bother and stress which that involves. It's highly unlikely to change the outcome. Just plead guilty by post and take your lumps!
Only just come across this, I took mine to court to complain about various parts as I did not agree with my 3 points and 60 quid fine I walked out with 5 points and a 270 quid fine!
Or better still don't speed on the road and the money you save on fines and increased insurance premiums spend on track days, and then go as fast as you can (well keep below +30mph of the speed limit at least )
