Court usher

Before the judge makes her entrance, I bring her books into the hearing room and place them on her desk. I also bring water for the judge. I find out from the court clerk if the people are ready to begin the hearing. If they are, I will go and let the judge know. Otherwise, I will wait until everyone is ready. When the judge comes in, I say the following words so that everyone can hear them:

"All rise! The Court of Quebec is now in session, presided by Madam Justice ______________ ."

When the judge sits down, I say to the people:

"Please be seated."

At that moment, the hearing begins. In some courthouses, I take care of several courtrooms at once. So, I don’t stay in the courtroom, particularly during the hearing. Rather, I take care of several tasks. For example, sometimes documents must be photocopied or it could be necessary to get another court file from the filing room. When these kinds of things come up, I am the one people count on. The other day, a witness, who was there at roll call, was nowhere to be found. I went looking for him and found him asleep in the hallway.

I am also there to ensure that decorum and order are observed in the courtroom, especially if the special constable isn’t there.

When the judge is ready to leave, I say to everyone:

"Please rise. The hearing is adjourned."