Final answer:
Magistrate judges routinely work on issuing court orders, conducting initial hearings, and managing pretrial procedures, including deciding on the admissibility of evidence and setting bail for those awaiting trial.
Step-by-step explanation:
One of the routine works that magistrate judges, also known as magistrates, do is issuing court orders. This includes a variety of tasks, such as deciding on preliminary matters in criminal and civil cases, and managing early stages of federal cases. Magistrates conduct initial hearings, which are brief and where the accused is informed of their charges. These judges also ensure that suspects understand their right to counsel and the judicial process. Additionally, they handle other important steps such as pretrial hearings, which may involve deciding on the admissibility of evidence.
Magistrates have the authority to set or deny bail, thus they play a key role in determining whether someone can be released while awaiting trial. However, keeping individuals under arrest in jail, which is the responsibility of law enforcement and corrections officials, is not typically a function of a magistrate. Similarly, the decision to bring a case to trial is generally made at a higher level of the judiciary or by a grand jury, not by magistrate judges. Thus, the most accurate description of a magistrate's role is issuing court order.