Let’s start with one important fact : a “magistrate” in France means someone who has been trained to become a judge AND a prosecutor. Because, in France, although it sounds strange to many other countries, you can be a judge or a prosecutor alternatively, in one career (but not in the same jurisdiction nor at the same time for obvious reasons). You can therefore switch from being a prosecutor to being a judge, and vice versa, every given number of years.

Back to the Young Magistrate’s Association or AJM. 

First of all, it is not age related. It’s more a matter of how long you’ve been a professional judge or prosecutor (ie magistrate) and how young/old you feel in your mind.

The Association was created in 2007 in a very specific context that put the magistracy in the media spotlight. A big case in Outreau made public opinion reflect on how young magistrates were in France. It was time for the AJM to be founded and aimed to show that one can be a young judge or prosecutor as well as an impartial ethical and knowledgeable professional.

Nowadays, the context has changed but the spirit of the AJM remains : to react, reflect on what happens in court, thinking outside the box of the judiciary and helping citizens feel closer to their Judicial system.

Being a member of the AJM involves being fully aware that magistrates have a social function beyond their individual tasks (such as going to court, writing sentences, etc). They belong to a collective vision of Justice.

The AJM is more like a think tank, an idea laboratory enabling concrete projects to come to life in a reliable framework.

The AJM’s activities are organised within 4 centres of expertise :

* Accompanying young magistrates in their job : mutual assistance and solidarity are the key values. Taking a bit of time to help younger Magistrates, enriching one’s professional practice thanks to shared experience.

<< Contributing to give a positive momentum within the Magistracy.

* Communication and Justice in society : being open minded, going to schools to explain Justice to the public, taking part in various pedagogical projects with institutional partners such as the “Défenseur des droits” (Defenders of Rights which is more or less an ombudsman, an independent official institution)…

<< Communication and education are also an individual responsibility to help Justice reach out and be understood beyond the courts.

* Discussion / Debate : Putting some thought into the role of a Magistrate within Society and what concrete solutions can be found for the obstacles that occur.

<< Thinking about what and why we do things to give a purpose to one’s actions.

* Keeping an eye on new developments on Magistrates’ trainings : Following any news related to the training of Magistrates before they are appointed and working on the consultations or studies about the training programme. e.g. : work group consultation on the personality and aptitude tests for the National Competitive Exam to enter the National School for the Magistracy (ENM : Ecole Nationale de la Magistrature) presided over by the Head of the Court of Appeal of Paris.

<< Making tomorrow’s Magistrates better

The AJM is not a Union and its members are unpaid volunteers.

You can contact our Association at : contact@jeunesmagistrats.fr