Being a Juror
A juror plays a critical role in the criminal justice process. A juror is someone selected to participate in deciding whether a person charged with committing a crime is guilty or not guilty. Jurors are randomly selected from the Elections BC list (provincial voter’s list).
You do not need to know anything about the law to serve on a jury. The judge will explain legal terms and the law that you as a juror will consider on the matter.
While you are reading through this website, you will need to know a few important terms:
- Juror - A member of a group of 12 citizens, called a jury, who listens and views evidence provided by lawyers (Crown counsel and defence counsel) and then decides whether a person is guilty or not guilty of committing a crime.
- Jury - A group of jurors (12) who are required to listen to people called to give evidence at a trial (witnesses). The jury also examines the documents or exhibits submitted as evidence. The role of the jury members is to form an opinion based on the facts presented at trial and explanations given by the judge. The jury decides whether the person charged is not guilty or guilty. The jury’s decision is called the “verdict” and must be unanimous (all the jurors must agree).
- Jury Panel - To pick the jury, the court creates a large list of people randomly picked from the Elections BC voters list who may have the necessary qualifications to participate. This list is narrowed down through a jury selection process.
- Jury Summons - A legal document that states that a person must appear at the courthouse on a specific date and time. Individuals who are summoned will be part of the jury panel and could become part of the jury.
You probably have questions about your role as a juror and what you can expect, as well questions about whether you get paid and how this will affect your job? To help you find the answers to your questions, please explore the other Juror sections on this website.
