The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word JURAT
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
J
U
R
A
T
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "magistrate" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case magistrate = jurat.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does JURAT mean?
JURAT noun- A sworn statement concerning where, when, and before whom an oath has been made.
- A sworn person, particularly: