Jury Duty in Ontario and Mock Jury Selection

The resource introduces students to the jury selection process in Ontario, including how the jury roll is formed, how jurors are summoned, and how they are selected in criminal and civil trials.  It examines the issue of the underrepresentation of First Nations and other minorities on juries as a critical human rights issue affecting the Canadian justice system. The teacher’s guide includes teaching strategies, discussion questions, classroom activities and links to additional resources.

The Mock Jury Selection exercise is designed to help students understand the process of establishing an impartial jury. The simulation will assess jury selection in hypothetical scenarios. When incorporated into a lesson, this task will simulate the entire process of jury selection. The re-enactment of this task requires students to play the role of lawyers, a judge, a registrar, prospective jurors, and the accused.