One day, when I was sitting around in court waiting for my name to be called, I had to time to think about things. Since I was one of the last persons to show up for court my case wasn’t going to get called until later. I noticed the bailiff and wondered exactly what a bailiff’s job consists of.
I did some quick research & this is what I found out:
* Court bailiffs can be found in local, state and federal courtrooms
* Court bailiffs provide security to courtroom members (especially the judge)
The police are just added security and for handling people that are or are about to be incarcerated.
What I found so interesting about these professionals is that only a high school diploma or a GED is required to apply for these exciting positions, and you may be asked to take some formal training prior to being hired & most definitely after.
Court Bailiff Job Duties are:
- Police officers who are situated in courtrooms to maintain order and provide security.
- Guarding juries and enforcing rules of the courts.
- Bailiffs open court by announcing the judges’ arrival and close court by announcing the judges’ departure.
- They may call witnesses to the stand and present the oath before witnesses take the stand.
- Provide administrative support to judges and jurors, stock courtroom with legal office supplies, deliver court documents and take custody of offenders… cool.
Court Bailiff Requirements
You need a high school diploma or GED.
Supplemental training, either at a 2 or 4-year College, vocational school or police academy, may help you in pursuing a career in this field.
Classes like criminal justice, law enforcement or civil rights can be quite impressive. Having a background in law enforcement and administration is quite helpful.
In fact, being a bailiff in a federal courtroom may even require you to have a bachelor’s degree as well as prior experience.
Usually, but only after obtaining employment, court bailiffs often need to complete strict training programs regulated by the state or federal government. Light office work may also be required. so understanding and knowing different supplies would also help. Bailiffs may also be responsible for making sure that there are plenty of legal office supplies on hand.
Other Qualifications a Bailiff is required to obtain
Since court bailiffs’ main job is mainly safety in the courtroom, most who apply for a bailiff’s position can greatly benefit from knowing CPR and, of course, being trained in first aid.
It is not required in ALL court systems, but it will soon be mandatory that bailiffs be required to attend and pass firearm training classes and to be comfortable using pepper spray & other assault chemical weapons.
If you want to be a successful court bailiff, you might want to learn to pay attention to the tiniest of detail, work well with others, & impressive communication skills.
They must also meet physical fitness standards and have clean criminal records.
The Court Bailiff’s Career Outlook
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (a.k.a. the BLS), it’s been reported that the average annual salary for court bailiffs in April 2010 was $38,570.
That is between $18,980 and approximately $66,400 Bailiff jobs are expected to increase between 2008 & 2018 according to the BLS.
The rising demand will be an effect of the growing population replacing retiring employees.
