50 years on, U.S. magistrate judges have more responsibilities

Since Congress created the position in 1968, U.S. magistrate judges have increased significantly and so have their responsibilities.

U.S. magistrate judges such as Erica Grosjean of the Eastern District of California in Fresno have multiplied since the position was created by Congress 50 years ago, and so have their jurisdictions and responsibilities.

Congress enacted The Magistrate Act in 1968 to help address the increasing caseloads faced by district judges. Fifty years later, not only has the number of federal magistrate judges increased significantly but so have their jurisdictions and responsibilities.

In 1970, there were 82 full-time magistrate judges and more part-time ones. Today there are more than 500, nearly matching the number of district and circuit judges.

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50 years on, U.S. magistrate judges have more responsibilities

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