What is a Stipendiary Magistrate?

[jedimistress]

And what is a circuit bench?

ie. What does HH Judge Phillip Wassall at the bottom do? Is he a regular magistrate? Would he travel from court to court when needed?

http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/aboutus/str ucture/areaboards/devon_cornwall.htm

[Ethel]

Wassall is a Circuit Judge, not a magistrate. He sits at courts within his 'circuits' so he does travel from court to court.
His Circuit is Devon and Cornwall.

A stipendiary magistrate is a paid magistrate with proper legal training and are now called district judges. They can hear cases alone, unlike magistrates which need three.