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Court usher
Court ushers help to make sure that courts run smoothly. Before a case or hearing begins, they prepare the court and arrange seating. They check that everyone has arrived, call witnesses and defendants into court, and help people to take the oath before they give evidence. In Scotland, ushers are known as court officers or macers.
Also known as:
- Court officer
- Law court usher
- Macer
- Magistrates’ court usher
Work activities
Court ushers are the first point of contact for people attending court hearings. Before a court case starts, ushers prepare the court, arrange seating and sometimes help the court clerk to put together the papers for the day’s cases. They check that everyone has arrived, welcome jurors and call the court to order. Once a case starts, ushers tell everyone to stand, call witnesses, supervise the oath and pass evidence to jurors. When the day’s business is complete, ushers tidy up and lock the doors of the court.
In Crown Courts (England and Wales only), a senior usher sometimes acts as a jury bailiff. They send members of the jury reminders before the case so they know which court they must attend and what time to arrive. They make sure jurors know where they must sit in court and where they can meet to discuss the case outside the courtroom. In the High Court, ushers draw the judge’s attention to legal points in textbooks. They stand up and read out the page number of the relevant section. As well as the above, ushers will often be expected to carry out a range of general duties. Things like taking fees, filling out forms and providing help on the switchboard may be typical tasks for an usher.
Personal qualities and skills
As a court usher, you’ll need to have:
- Good communication skills.
- A clear speaking voice.
- Good organisational skills to make sure that everything needed is in the right place at the right time.
You’ll also need to have these attributes:
- Patience.
- Politeness.
- Tolerance.
- Confidence.
Pay and opportunities
Court ushers are paid on a rising scale. Court ushers earn in the range £18,000 - £24,500. Court ushers may receive these salaries pro rata, as many positions are part-time.
Court ushers usually work a basic 36-37-hour week, Monday to Friday. Some courts require an early start, usually 8am or 8.30am, and there may be late sittings from time to time. Part-time employment and casual work may also be available.
Demand for court ushers is steady. However, there is often strong competition for ushers/officer posts. Vacancies are few as there is low turnover of staff.
HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) employs ushers to work in Crown and County Courts throughout England and Wales. The Scottish legal system employs court ushers in Sheriffs’ Courts and court officers in the Court of Sessions and the High Court of Justiciary. Opportunities for court ushers occur in courts in towns and cities throughout the UK.
Where are vacancies advertised?
Vacancies are advertised on all the major job boards, on the Government’s Find a Job service, and on the HMCTS website.
Entry routes and training
You will receive most of your training on-the-job, covering court procedure, court behaviour and the role of different legal representatives. Diplomas, at levels 2 and 3, are available in court tribunal operations.
Progression is to positions with more supervisory responsibilities.
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: Court ushers who work in the Royal Courts of Justice or the Central Criminal Court are exceptions to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information to an employer about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if they ask you to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.
Qualifications
Although there are no formal requirements, you will typically need GCSEs in English and maths to qualify for this role.
Adult opportunities
Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.
Experience from work in administration roles would also be useful.
