Glossary
Magistrate
A judicial officer with limited authority who handles certain kinds of cases or pretrial matters under the supervision of a regular judge. Common in federal court and in some state systems.
Federal magistrate judges handle preliminary criminal matters (initial appearances, search warrants, bail hearings), settlement conferences, and discovery disputes: and they can preside over civil trials if all parties consent. They're appointed by the district court judges, not by the President.
State systems have their own magistrate roles, often handling small claims, traffic, or initial criminal proceedings. Authority varies a lot from state to state.