Careers in Justice > Court Usher

Profession at a Glance

Have you ever noticed how well organized courtrooms on TV are? People in court usually sit quietly, they all stand up when the judge enters the room, and witnesses seem to appear precisely when it’s their turn. Can you imagine what would happen if the judge made an official entrance into an empty or disorganized courtroom?

Court ushers play a key role in keeping everything running smoothly at the courthouse.

To learn more about a court usher’s work, click through the tabs above.

Job Description

Court ushers perform work in 3 different areas: they prepare courtrooms for hearings, provide assistance during hearings and enforce courtroom rules.

Preparation for Hearings

The court usher gets a courtroom ready for the start of a hearing by doing the following:

making sure the judge has the necessary materials (paper, pens, water, etc.).
making sure the judge has all the laws she needs
helping the court clerk transport the stacks of files related to a case to the courtroom
making sure the lawyers and parties (individuals and organizations involved in a case) are present

Assistance during Hearings

When everything is ready and it’s time to start the hearing, the court usher must:

escort the judge from her office to the courtroom and make sure that the judge is safe
open the court session by asking everyone to stand and remain silent until the judge sits down
stay in the courtroom during the hearing and respond to requests. For example, a court usher might have to photocopy documents or meet with witnesses who are waiting in the hallway to make sure they know when to enter the courtroom. Witnesses are only allowed to be in the courtroom when it is their turn to speak. This rule ensures they are not influenced by what they hear in court.
act as messenger between the judge, lawyers, or parties if the hearing is delayed for some reason.

Enforcing Courtroom Rules

The court usher must make sure that each hearing unfolds in a calm and orderly fashion, and that everyone behaves respectfully towards the court. A court usher makes sure:

everyone sits properly and is dressed appropriately. No baseball caps!
everyone in the courtroom is safe
there are no cameras in the courtroom, including cell phone cameras. (The job of a court usher is definitely more difficult during court hearings that get a lot of media attention since it's his responsibility to ensure that videos of a hearing don’t end up on the Internet.)
journalists in the courtroom or hallways respect restrictions. For example, to respect the privacy of people involved, certain hearings are called “closed” hearings. For this type of hearing, journalists and members of the public are not allowed to listen in. A closed hearing is also called an in camera hearing.

In summary, the court usher makes life easier for the judge, lawyers, parties and witnesses by discreetly looking after all of these details.

Where do court ushers work?

There are court ushers in every court at the municipal, provincial and federal level in Quebec. Court ushers work in over 130 courts across the province, keeping things on track.

Training

There is no specific program to become a court usher but, in general, most courts in Quebec require applicants to have a high school diploma. Training or specialisation in security issues is an asset for anyone hoping to work in this job.

To develop the right job skills and knowledge, court ushers must follow training given by their employer once they are hired.

To learn more about the job prospects (salary, rate of growth of the profession etc.) of court ushers, take a look at the Job Futures website.
Useful High School Courses

The following courses could help you prepare for a future as a court usher:

English Language Arts
French as a Second Language
History and Citizenship Education

Speak to your guidance counsellor to see if there are other courses offered at your school that could prepare for this career.

Are you right for the job?

Thinking of a career as a court usher? Check out this list of skills and learn how to develop them.

Respect for the Rules

A court usher’s job is to know and enforce the rules of courtroom behaviour.

You have what you need to succeed if:

You always arrive on time for appointments and classes.
You respect the rules when you are playing a game and don’t cheat.
You are disciplined when it’s time to study and you don’t waste time.

To develop these skills, you can:

Register for an activity that requires you to be disciplined and follow certain rules, such as a sports team.
Always read and understand the directions your teachers give you before starting your work.
Find a recipe for your favourite food and follow the directions for making it.

Ability to Interact with Others

Court ushers must be able to work with lots of different people during the course of the day and they have to be at ease in many different situations.

You have what you need to succeed if:

You know how to make friends easily.
You adapt quickly to people from different cultures, backgrounds and ages.

You can negotiate with friends to solve problems.

To develop these skills, you can:

Become a youth mediator to help other kids in your school resolve their differences.
Get in the habit of introducing yourself first to people you don’t know and start conversations with them.

Firmness

Court ushers must sometimes ask people to leave the courtroom if they are not respecting the rules. To do this, court ushers must be confident and not back down easily.

You have what you need to succeed if:

You can defend a very controversial position during a discussion, even if all your friends disagree with you.
You are clear with your feelings when you are not happy with certain situations, such as when someone shows up late for a meeting.
You know how to keep control of the situation and be firm about the rules when you are babysitting.

To develop these skills, you can:

Work with children as an assistant coach or become the referee of a sport.
Get in the habit of staying firm in your decisions and ideas.
Establish a budget for the next year and stick to it despite the temptation to spend, with the goal of saving and buying something you really want.

Diplomacy

Court ushers must be courteous with everyone they meet at the court including: judges, lawyers, and parties who may be feeling impatient about their cases.

You have what you need to succeed if:

You know how to give someone constructive criticism without hurting his or her feelings.
You know how to keep sensitive information private and don't spread rumours.
You are known for being polite to everyone.

To develop these skills, you can:

Take an etiquette class to better understand social rules, good manners and politeness.
Make a habit of choosing your words carefully before presenting ideas about sensitive subjects.
Take advantage of opportunities to act as a host or hostess for school events.

Did you know?

Court ushers are known for this famous sentence, “All rise, the court is now in session.”
Reading newspapers, having conversations and using cell phones are all forbidden in courtrooms.
In all Canadian courts, you are not allowed to take photos during a hearing.