Testifying in courtĪ person who has information that either party in the case believes to be useful may be called to give evidence in a civil or criminal trial. There are only six jurors in a civil case, and the decision does not have to be unanimous as long as five of them agree on the verdict. The jury must decide whether the plaintiff has proven that the defendant is liable, that is, responsible, on a balance of probabilities. After a trial, jurors are not allowed to tell anyone else about the discussions that took place in the jury room. If they cannot all agree, the judge may discharge the jury and direct a new jury to be chosen for a new trial. The jurors meet in a room outside the courtroom to decide whether the prosecutor has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty.Īll the jurors must agree on the decision or verdict – their decision must be unanimous. Some civil cases can also be tried by judge and jury. I n some cases, a person charged with a criminal offence for which there can be a prison sentence of less than five years may have the right to choose a trial by jury. However, anyone charged with a criminal offence for which there can be a prison sentence of five years or more has the right to a trial by jury. Most civil cases in Canada are tried by judges without a jury. Jurors must make up their own minds about the truth or honesty of the testimony given by witnesses.Īfter both sides have called all their witnesses and presented their arguments, the judge instructs the jury on the law and on what they must take into account when making their decision. Also, the prosecutor or the defence counsel may object to a particular juror if they believe there is a reason why he or she should be disqualified.ĭuring the trial, jurors must not allow themselves to be influenced by anything except the evidence presented in court. Some people may not be required to do jury duty by the laws of their province. Any adult Canadian citizen can be considered for jury duty.īeing called for jury duty does not mean a person will be selected to serve as a juror but he or she must show up for the selection process. In Canada, a criminal law jury is made up of 12 jurors selected from among citizens of the province or territory in which the court is located. A jury is a group of citizens who try an accused charged with a criminal offence. Serving on a jury is one way a citizen can carry out his or her role.
Two ways of contributing to justice in Canada are being on a jury and testifying in court. In Canada, each of us has a part in ensuring that the law works properly and that justice is done.
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