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The jury selection process (also called a jury panel) happens at the courthouse, community hall or building listed on your jury summons.

What to bring:

The process:

What if I Don't Attend Jury Selection

Everyone summoned for jury duty must attend jury selection at the courthouse location for the date and time indicated on the summons – unless they have been exempted or disqualified in advance by the Sheriff’s office. Anyone who does not attend without valid exemption or disqualification may be subject to a range of consequences determined by the court.

Jury Selection Process for Criminal Trials

A criminal trial involves matters such as theft, mischief, assault, sexual assault, murder, manslaughter, aggravated assault, bank robbery and drug cases. These types of offences are defined in the criminal code of canada.

In a criminal trial, the purpose of the jury selection process is for Crown counsel (also called the prosecution) and defense counsel (the lawyer for the person charged with the crime) to decide who they want on the jury.

12 to 14 jurors are chosen for criminal trials. Crown counsel, defense counsel, the accused (the person charged with the crime) and court staff are present during jury selection.

The process:

Alternate jurors:  A judge might decide to pick two alternate jurors.

The alternate juror must attend the first day of the trial. Upon direction of the court if an existing juror is unable to serve as a juror, the alternate juror will take their place for jury duty.

Jury Selection Process for Civil Trials

Jury selection for civil trials is similar to the process for criminal trials. Some key differences include:

If You Are selected to be a Juror

Anyone who is selected as a juror for a trial will be sworn in or affirmed and then seated in the jury box.

If You Are Not Selected to be a Juror

A separate selection process takes place for each jury trial and several juries may be selected in one day. On the day of jury selection, anyone not selected to sit on a jury is dismissed.  However, you may be required to come back for an additional selection date. If this happens, the judge will let you know before you leave the courtroom. In rare circumstances, a judge may order the Sheriffs to contact panelists at a later date to attend an additional selection process