Criminal Court Illustrations: Ontario Court of Justice (print version)

Coat of Arms

Most courtrooms have a Coat of Arms on the wall behind the judge. The Coat of Arms is an official symbol of the government of Ontario.

TV and speakers

Sometimes there is video evidence, for example, a video recording from a security camera. To show this evidence in court, the video is played on the courtroom’s video monitors. There can be one big screen or smaller individual screens for people to look at on their own. The screens can also be used to show other evidence like photos and scanned documents.

In some situations, there may be people who take part in a hearing remotely. They use video calling technology such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams to appear in court. The person on the video call will be shown on the video monitor or the big screen.

Measurements along the wall

Many courtrooms have measurements written along a wall. They start at “0” next to the witness box and extend towards the back of the courtroom. The purpose is to give the witness a way to estimate distances. For example, if a witness is testifying about how far away something was, they can say, “Using the measurements on the wall, I think it was about 5 meters away.”

Judge’s door

The judge enters and leaves the courtroom through a door near where they sit.

There may be 2 other doors: one for court staff to use, and one for court officers to use to bring accused persons who are in custody in and out of the courtroom.

Judge

A judge or justice of the peace is in charge of the court hearing.

Judges mostly deal with trials and guilty pleas. They wear a red sash. When you speak to a judge, say “Your Honour”.

Justices of the peace mostly deal with bail hearings and Set Date court. At Set Date court the justice of the peace gets an update about the case to make sure it’s moving along properly, and then schedules the next court date.

A justice of the peace wears a green sash. When you speak to a justice of the peace, say “Your Worship”.

The judge or justice of the peace listens to what everyone says, looks at the evidence, and makes a final decision.

Video monitor

Sometimes there is video evidence, for example, a video recording from a security camera. To show this evidence in court, the video is played on the courtroom’s video monitors. There can be one big screen or smaller individual screens for people to look at on their own. The screens can also be used to show other evidence like photos and scanned documents.

In some situations, there may be people who take part in a hearing remotely. They use video calling technology such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams to appear in court. The person on the video call will be shown on the video monitor or the big screen.

Witness

A witness is someone who comes to court to say what they know about a case. This is called “oral evidence”. The judge or justice of the peace can use oral evidence to help them make a decision. This usually happens in a trial, at a peace bond hearing, or at a bail hearing.

Both the Crown prosecutor and the defendant can ask witnesses to come to court to say what they know. The Crown prosecutor and the defendant, or the defendant’s lawyer, ask the witnesses questions. The judge can also ask the witnesses questions.

Holy book / Symbol

Before a witness gives evidence, they must promise to tell the truth. They can promise while:

• raising their right hand,
• putting their hand on a holy book such as a Bible, Koran, or Torah, or
• holding a symbol such as a sacred eagle feather.

All courts usually have some holy books available, and some have a sacred eagle feather. Check with the court. If they don’t, it may be best to bring your own.

Court reporter

The court reporter records everything that’s said in court. The recording may be used later to create a written report about what each person said in court. Usually, the court reporter cannot tell anyone what was said right away. They must go away, listen to the recording, and then write an official report called a transcript.

The court reporter will also take notes to help them write their report later. They may ask you to spell your name or to spell other words that they are not familiar with.

Court clerk

The court clerk helps the judge with court documents. For example, at a trial the court clerk organizes all of the documents and evidence. They can also help the judge to figure out available dates for the next court date, find people in the courthouse, or remind the judge about details like when the last court date was or what the file number is.

Microphone

Everyone who takes part in the hearing has a microphone in front of them to record what they say. In most courtrooms the microphone does not make your voice come through the speakers. It does not make your voice louder. It is just for recording. You will still need to speak loudly enough for the judge to hear. The microphones record your voice so that the court reporter may use the recording later to write a report about exactly what each person said in court.

Officer in Charge

The Officer in Charge (OIC) is the police officer who is in charge of the police case. Their main job is to help the Crown prosecutor. To do this, the OIC must know the background of the case very well. They also help the Crown prosecutor to bring witnesses to court or to understand the evidence. The OIC usually sits next to the Crown prosecutor during a trial to answer any questions they might have about the case.

Crown prosecutor

The Crown prosecutor is the government lawyer who is trying to prove to the judge that the defendant is guilty. They do this by asking the witnesses questions, and by speaking to the judge about the evidence and about the law.

The Crown prosecutor is also known as the prosecutor, Crown counsel, or the Crown.

In the Ontario Court of Justice, lawyers usually wear business clothes.

Defendant’s lawyer

The defendant’s lawyer tries to show the judge that the Crown prosecutor has not been able to prove that the defendant committed a crime. The defendant’s lawyer does this by asking the witnesses questions, and by speaking to the judge about the evidence and about the law.

In the Ontario Court of Justice, lawyers usually wear business clothes.

Defendant

The defendant is the person who is charged with the crime. If they are not in custody, then they usually sit at the table with their lawyer. If they are in custody, they usually sit in the prisoner’s dock.

Interpreter

Court hearings are held in English or French. If anyone involved in the case doesn’t understand or speak English or French well, they can use an interpreter. This includes the defendant and any witnesses.

The government pays for the interpreter. If you or any of your witnesses want an interpreter, tell the judge or justice of the peace as soon as possible.

Observer

Criminal courtrooms are open to the public. Anyone can sit in the back of the courtroom and watch.

Sometimes the judge or justice of the peace may not allow observers. For example, if there is a vulnerable witness who may be traumatized by having other people hear what they say in court.

Youth criminal court is also open to the public, but it’s illegal to talk about the names you hear or the people you see in youth criminal court. You could be charged with an offence if you share information that reveals the identity of a person who was in youth criminal court.

Prisoner’s dock

If an accused person is in custody, they are brought into the courtroom by court officers. The court officers put the accused person in the prisoner’s dock.

During a trial, if someone is in custody, they can ask the judge for permission to sit with their lawyer instead of in the prisoner’s dock. This is so that they can speak to the lawyer more easily. This can be helpful if the person needs to give their lawyer instructions during a trial. The judge may or may not allow a person in custody to sit with their lawyer.

Support person

A witness may want to have someone with them in court for support. The support person can be a friend, family member, or someone who’s trained to provide help and emotional support. If a witness wants help connecting with a support person, they can speak with the Victim Witness Assistance Program (VWAP). There is a VWAP office in most courthouses.

A support person usually sits at the back of the courtroom and just observes. But if you would like your support person to sit with you, you can ask the judge or justice of the peace for permission.

Court Officer

The court officer watches what happens in the courtroom and can take steps to keep everyone safe if needed. They may come in and out of the courtroom during your hearing. If you’re worried about your safety, talk to the court officer before your court hearing.