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- Requires strong communication and people skills, the ability to remain calm in stressful situations and to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- With experience, go on to supervise a team of ushers, or become a court administrative officer
- You'll be based in courtrooms or at offices and reception desks at the court building
As a Court usher, you may be preparing the courtroom meeting and greeting court users and visitors, keeping people informed of changes to hearing times, checking that witnesses, defendants and lawyers are present, calling defendants and witnesses into court, directing the taking of oaths, labelling evidence and passing it to the judge and jury, passing messages between lawyers and legal advisers, keeping order in the public areas, inputting data to the computer system, and filing and photocopying.
In crown court cases, a 'sworn usher' swears on oath to stop anyone who is unauthorised from approaching the jury. In this role you would have extra duties such as escorting the jury to and from the courtroom, being on duty outside the jury room, taking messages between the jury and the judge, and organising hotel accommodation if jurors need to stay overnight.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Preparing the courtroom meeting and greeting court users and visitors
- Keeping people informed of changes to hearing times
- Checking that witnesses, defendants and lawyers are present
- Calling defendants and witnesses into court
- Directing the taking of oaths
- Labelling evidence and passing it to the judge and jury
- Passing messages between lawyers and legal advisers
- Keeping order in the public areas
- Inputting data to the computer system
- Filing and photocopying
In crown court cases, a 'sworn usher' swears on oath to stop anyone who is unauthorised from approaching the jury. In this role you would have extra duties such as escorting the jury to and from the courtroom, being on duty outside the jury room, taking messages between the jury and the judge, and organising hotel accommodation if jurors need to stay overnight.
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You'll usually work in courtrooms and offices, and at reception desks at the court building. You may also need to travel between different courts. As a sworn usher you may spend occasional nights away from home.
You'll need
This role would be ideal for someone with strong communication and people skills, the ability to remain calm in stressful situations and to be thorough and pay attention to detail.
You can apply directly for jobs as a court usher although experience in a similar role like customer service or office administration will be useful. Employers will also look at your personal qualities and life experience.
You could take a college course like a level 1 or 2 Certificate in Business Administration before applying for work or you could do an intermediate or advanced apprenticeship in court and tribunal administration.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience, you could supervise a team of ushers, or become a court administrative officer.