What to Expect
This section provides an overview of what you can expect in court when participating as a juror. To feel more comfortable about attending court, you may want to visit a courthouse in advance.
What to Expect the First Day of Trial
Once the judge arrives in the courtroom, the court is in session and the jury selection will begin. The judge will give you instructions before the trial starts. The instructions will include your duties as a juror, the hours you will be in court and what you can expect during the trial.
Oath
If you have been chosen to be a juror, you will be sworn in. When your turn comes, you must either take an oath on a holy book of your choice or affirm, which means making a solemn promise without using a holy book. The affirmation is similar to an oath, but has no religious association. Tell the deputy sheriff if you prefer a certain holy book to use for the oath or if you do not want to use one.
You will say the oath while you hold the holy book. To say the oath, you can read the words aloud from a card or repeat them after a court official. By taking the juror's oath, you are making a legal commitment to participate in making a fair decision on the guilt or innocence of the defendant.
You are now officially a member of the jury.
What to Expect Once Evidence is Presented
After all the evidence has been given, along with Crown and defence counsel’s arguments and the judge’s summary and instructions on the law, the jury will be asked to make a decision. Until the jury has made a decision and stated it to the court, the jurors are “sequestered.” This means you are not allowed to go home until the jury has given its decision to the court.
To arrive at a decision of guilty or not guilty, all jurors must come to a unanimous decision. This means you must all vote the same way. It may take several days or weeks for the jury to decide. If, after a sincere effort, the jury is unable to come to a unanimous decision, the judge may have to declare a mistrial. If that happens, the whole trial starts again, with a different jury.
More Information
For more information about what to expect in court, please visit the Court Hearings - Understanding Criminal Justice section on this website.
