Main Difference
The main difference between Judge and Magistrate is that the Judge is a official who presides over court proceedings and Magistrate is a officer of the state, usually judge.
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and, typically, in an open court. The judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the barristers of the case, assesses the credibility and arguments of the parties, and then issues a ruling on the matter at hand based on his or her interpretation of the law and his or her own personal judgment. In some jurisdictions, the judge’s powers may be shared with a jury. In inquisitorial systems of criminal investigation, a judge might also be an examining magistrate.
Magistrate
The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judicial and executive powers. In other parts of the world, such as China, a magistrate was responsible for administration over a particular geographic area. Today, in some jurisdictions, a magistrate is a judicial officer who hears cases in a lower court, and typically deals with more minor or preliminary matters. In other jurisdictions (e.g., England and Wales), magistrates may be volunteers without formal legal training who perform a judicial role with regard to minor matters.
Judge (noun)
A public official whose duty it is to administer the law, especially by presiding over trials and rendering judgments; a justice.
Judge (noun)
A person who decides the fate of someone or something that has been called into question.
Judge (noun)
A person officiating at a sports event or similar.
“At a boxing match, the decision of the judges is final.”
Judge (noun)
A person who evaluates something or forms an opinion.
“She is a good judge of wine.”
“They say he is a poor judge of character considering all the unreliable friends he has made.”
Judge (verb)
To sit in judgment on; to pass sentence on.
“A higher power will judge you after you are dead.”
Judge (verb)
To sit in judgment, to act as judge.
“Justices in this country judge without appeal.”
Judge (verb)
To form an opinion on.
“I judge a man’s character by the cut of his suit.”
Judge (verb)
To arbitrate; to pass opinion on something, especially to settle a dispute etc.
“We cannot both be right: you must judge between us.”
Judge (verb)
To have as an opinion; to consider, suppose.
“I judge it safe to leave the house once again.”
Judge (verb)
To form an opinion; to infer.
“I judge from the sky that it might rain later.”
Judge (verb)
To criticize or label another person or thing.
Magistrate (noun)
A judicial officer with limited authority to administer and enforce the law. A magistrate’s court may have jurisdiction in civil or criminal cases, or both.
Magistrate (noun)
A high official of the state or a municipality in ancient Greece or Rome.
Magistrate (noun)
A comparable official in medieval or modern institutions.
Magistrate (noun)
A master’s degree.