I won't name the specific county to avoid powerleveling (though this detail will probably narrow it down anyway, but oh well), but in the county where I live, there was a notice put out late last year by the county that they were looking to hire a Pro Tempore Justice of the Peace, i.e. a fill-in until the next election to pick a proper, permanent JotP to help with the overloaded courts.
Here's the wrinkle: no experience required, no degree required, no education required, no bar admission required. The job requirements were "US citizen with voting rights, no felonies, high school diploma or equivalent, willingness to travel for county-paid JotP training, availability to begin immediately."
There were dozens of applicants, and very few of them were qualified attorneys. Thankfully the county commissioners had the good sense to pick an experienced trial lawyer to take up the mantle instead of one of the local yokels, but JFC. Now a Justice of the Peace is the lowest position on the judicial totem pole, but they're still mediators with the authority of a judge, able to run their own courtrooms, issue judgments and orders, etc., and they have the same authority as a magistrate's or judge's (subject to their review, of course). They do mostly traffic court and small-time criminal court, but still ... holy shit.
The standards to become an authority-wielding asshole with life-ruining power are very, very low in this country.