Magistrate District #1
Leon Bingham
Magistrate District #2 Magistrate District #3
Dale Vaughn Doug Rose
Background Information
In counties with a magisterial form of fiscal court, the most important function of the justice of the peace or magistrate is service on the fiscal court.
The terms “justice of
the peace” and “magistrate” are synonymous. However, the office of justice
of the peace or magistrate, unlike that of county commissioner, is a constitutionally
required office that must be filled regardless of the form of the fiscal court. Although the
Constitution mandates their election, justices in counties with a commissioner form of
fiscal court have few duties.
Before 1978, magistrates possessed important judicial duties,
but the Judicial Amendment to the Constitution abolished the magisterial courts and
stripped magistrates of their judicial duties.
In counties with a county commissioner form
of fiscal court, about the only duties remaining are the solemnization of marriages and the
acceptance of applications for notaries public. Justices of the peace or magistrates may
perform marriages if so authorized by the governor or the county judge/executive.