Jury selection day

What to bring to the jury selection hearing:

• The top portion of your summons document
• Government-issued photo ID
• Water and snacks
• Reading materials
• You may also want to bring reading materials and/or a laptop or other electronic device for work or schoolwork. Some locations have public WIFI available (please call the location on your summons to determine if WIFI is available). Note: all court participants must abide by the court electronics use policy.
  • If you have any further questions, please speak with the sheriffs.

If you’re driving to the courthouse and choose to park in metered parking, please be aware you may not be able to leave the jury selection hearing to pay the meter for four to five hours, depending on the length of juror selection. Parking and travel expenses are not reimbursed. Prospective jurors do not receive compensation for attending the jury selection hearing.

Sheriffs will provide instruction to jury panelists on the day of the selection hearing and are available to help answer process related questions throughout the day.

Here’s the process for the jury selection hearing:

• When you arrive at the courthouse, follow directions/signs to the area where you can sign-in with a sheriff, who will explain where to go and what to do.
• You may be asked to wait in a designated area outside the courtroom before you’re called into the courtroom with a smaller group of panelists.
• The selection process will begin in the courtroom. The court clerk reads the charges, and the accused is asked to plead guilty or not guilty. When the accused pleads not guilty, the jury selection begins.
• The court clerk will draw 15-20 jury ID numbers from the list of potential jurors present.
• As jury ID numbers are called, you will answer “Here” when your number is called and move to the front of the court.
• At this point, if you have reasons to do so, you may ask the judge to be exempt from jury service. The judge will either grant or deny the request.
• If there is no exemption request, Crown and defence counsel will agree or challenge each juror’s participation to ensure a diverse jury that does not have knowledge of the case. This process continues until all jurors are chosen.
• Anyone selected as a juror will be required to take a legal oath or affirmation to try the defendant based only on evidence heard in court and to reappear for jury duty on a specific date.
• At this point, the case is typically adjourned (delayed to another time), the jury is led out of the courtroom and all other prospective jurors dismissed. 
• In rare instances, or for civil trials, the trial may proceed immediately or after a short break.