Judge publication top class? (10)

I believe the answer is:

magistrate

'judge' is the definition.
(I know that judge can be written as magistrate)

'publication top class?' is the wordplay.
'publication' becomes 'mag' (abbreviation for magazine).
'top' becomes 'Ist' (resembles 1st).
'class?' becomes 'rate' (class can mean to rank or rate).
'mag'+'ist'+'rate'='MAGISTRATE'

(Other definitions for magistrate that I've seen before include "Court official" , "Justice of the peace" , "Capital of Ethiopia" , "Dispenser of justice" , "JP" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

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