mag·is·trate 
(măjĭ-strāt′, -strĭt)
(măjĭ-strāt′, -strĭt)n.
1. A judge or justice of a local or inferior court; a justice of the peace.
2. A judge in a court having jurisdiction over the trial of misdemeanors and preliminary hearings involving felonies.
3. A public official with the chief administrative power in a district or region.
[Middle English magistrat, from Old French, from Latin magistrātus, from magister, magistr-, master; see meg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]