The large desk at the front of the courtroom is called the dais (pronounced “day-iss”). Sometimes it is also called the bench. This is where the judges sit to hear a case, presiding over the court’s proceedings. At this dais in the Court of Appeal, up to 5 judges can sit and hear a case at the same time! Each has a comfortable chair, a microphone, a class of water, and lots of room for the documents and notes they will need for the case.

Because appeals involve complex legal and social issues, appeals are heard by a panel of at least 3 judges, who are some of the top legal experts in the country. The judges work together on writing their decision, although sometimes they disagree! In that case, whatever decision the highest number of judges support will become the law – that’s why it is sometimes called the majority opinion. The remaining judges may write short additions to the main judgment, explaining their logic, which are called the dissenting or minority opinion. Minority opinions sometimes influence other cases or inspire changes in the law later on.

Judges are the final decision-maker and authority in the courtroom, and everyone is expected to treat them with the utmost respect. You can address any judge in Ontario as “Your Honour”. Our judges don’t use gavels, like on American television, and they don’t wear powdered wigs like British judges. They wear a simple black robe with a sash over their right shoulder which indicates their level of court.