§ 133.020 Magistrate defined

A magistrate is simply a judge or official who has the legal power to issue an arrest warrant. This is someone the court system trusts to review a case and decide if there's enough reason to have police arrest a person accused of a crime.

If you're dealing with a criminal case, the magistrate is often the person who signs off on warrants before police can make an arrest. This role helps make sure someone with legal authority checks the situation first, rather than letting an arrest happen without any official review.