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People in the Courtroom

People in the Courtroom

Courts of Saskatchewan

People in the Courtroom

Court Resources

Courtrooms are set up differently depending on their purpose. Similarly, the people you’ll see in a courtroom will also be different, depending on what’s taking place in it.

Judge(s)

Sits at the front of the courtroom, often on a raised platform (dais)
Presides over the courtroom to ensure fair and efficient hearings
Responsible for:
- making sure rules are followed,
- deciding whether to admit or not admit evidence
- deciding guilt in a criminal trial (unless it’s a jury trial)
- giving judgment in a civil or family trial
- sentencing and awarding damages
- determining whether there was a mistake in a lower court

Clerk

Sits in front of the judge
Opens and closes court (tells gallery to stand when the judge enters and leaves)
Marks exhibits
Makes sure everything said in the trial courts is recorded
Takes witnesses’ and jury members’ oaths
Reads the charges and asks for a plea of guilty or not guilty in Court of King’s Bench

Lawyer

Presents the case for a client in civil or family matters
Presents the case for the Crown or defence in criminal matters

Jurors

Only in the case of a jury trial, which can only be held in Court of King’s Bench
Members of the public selected at random
- 12 in a criminal case
- 6 in a civil case
Hear the case alongside the judge and are the “triers of fact”, that is, they decide whether the Crown has proven its case against the accused.

Security

It may be Deputy Sheriffs, Sheriffs, or RCMP officers

Keep courtrooms safe
Protect judges, accused, jury, court staff, public, etc.
Escort accused people who are in custody
Conduct security screening at some court locations
Enforce rules, such as:
- no hats
- no phones
- no food or drink
- no talking while court is in session