Helen Wright - Magistrate
Helen Wright, Justice of the Peace and Magistrate
Helen served as a magistrate in Dundee District Court for 18 years from 1982
- 2000
After 2001, members of the council were no longer permitted to be magistrates after changes were made to structure of the courts system in Scotland. Whilst chair of the magistrates association in Scotland, Helen was a member of Lord Cullen's committee that reviewed the court system in Scotland. Changes introduced stopped the long-standing practice of each local authority operating local courts. As well as possible benefits in centralising the system, an argument was also made that there was a possible conflict of interest where members of the council also sat as magistrates and for local councils to run courts.
The appellation "Bailie" was resurrected by the council a few years later and given to the longest-standing elected members of the council but the title no longer had any other significance or connection with the justice system.
Bailies are now typically called upon to assist the lord provost with civic duties.
Helen's time as a magistrate, together with her long service as a prison visitor and her position as convenor of Social Work, provided her with valuable experience in later roles in criminal justice where she was chair of the Tayside Community Justice Authority and later chaired the national association formed to represent all eight CJAs in Scotland.
This photo shows Magistrate Helen Wright preparing for a day on the bench at Dundee District Court. Helen also helped to train new magistrates.
Helen is now titled Bailie Helen Wright on Dundee City Council, and is the only remaining person who originally held this title as it was given to councillors who were also magistrates.
