Judges
Career Overview
People in this occupation:
- Rule on civil and criminal cases
- Deliver justice in courts of law
- Are in charge of federal and provincial courts
Job Titles
Duties
Judges:
- Oversee courts of law, interpret and enforce rules of procedure and make rulings regarding the admissibility of evidence
- Explain laws to the jury that are related to the case
- Weigh and consider evidence in non-jury trials and decide legal guilt or innocence or degree of liability of the accused or defendant
- Pass sentence on those convicted in criminal cases and determine damages or other appropriate solution in civil cases
- Grant divorces and divide assets between spouses
- Decide custody of children between contesting parents and other guardians
- Enforce court orders for access or support
- Supervise other judges and court officers
Special duties
Judges may specialize in particular areas of law such as civil, criminal or family law.
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
360% Employed Full Time
81%Work generally takes place in a law office or court house.
Career Pathways
Career path information is currently not available.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- Extensive experience as a lawyer or as a professor of law with continuous membership in the bar association is usually required
- Membership in good standing with a provincial or territorial law society or bar association is required
- Judges are appointed by federal or provincial cabinets
- Those appointed to more senior positions in a court, such as chief justice, usually have experience as judges in that court
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Law
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
360Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 0 | 0.0% |
| Kootenay | 10 | 2.7% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 275 | 75.3% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 0 | 0.0% |
| Northeast | 0 | 0.0% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 30 | 8.2% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 35 | 9.6% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
190Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | Not available | Not available |
| Kootenay | Not available | Not available |
| Mainland/Southwest | 150 | 1.1% |
| North Coast and Nechako | Not available | Not available |
| Northeast | Not available | Not available |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 20 | 0.3% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 20 | 0.4% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Public Administration | 180 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 10 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.