British Columbia courtroom procedure

• Table of cases

Part 1: The trial system in British Columbia

• A history of the courts of British Columbia
• Who determines trial procedure?
• Forms of address: what do you call the players?
• Formalities of communications in court
• Submissions to the judge
• Making objections

Part 2: Litigants and counsel

• Capacity of litigants 
• Representation by counsel
• Self-represented litigants

Part 3: The language of the trial

• The availability of trials in French

Part 4: Preparation before trial

• Preparation before trial

Part 5: Arriving at court

• Entering the courtroom
• Presence of litigants

Part 6: General procedures at trial

• Meeting with the judge in chambers
• Exhibits
• Matters to be dealt with at the commencement of trial
• Some procedural issues during trial

Part 7: Motions

• Raising charter issues
• Motions before the trial
• Motions during the trial
• Contempt

Part 8: Starting the trial

• Commencing a criminal trial
• Commencing a civil or family trial
• Counsel's opening statements and addresses

Part 9: Jury Trials

• How to find information in jury chapters
• Assembling the jury panel
• Preparation for jury selection
• Judge's preliminary remarks to the jury panel
• Selecting a criminal jury
• Selecting a civil jury
• Judge's opening remarks to the jury
• Procedures relating to the jury
• Questions from the jury

Part 10: Presenting evidence

• Determining admissibility
• Privilege
• Oaths and affirmations
• Calling witnesses
• Examining witnesses
• Cross-examining witnesses
• Use of documents when examining witnesses
• Expert witnesses
• Common testimonial issues
• Forms of evidence other than testimony
• Demonstrative evidence and aids

Part 11: Responding to the evidence

• Reply, splitting the case, surrebuttal evidence and re-opening the case
  

Part 12: Closing the case

• Counsel's closing argument or address
• Objections to the charge

Part 13: Deciding the case

• Rendering judgment
• Sentencing
• Costs

Part 14: Appendices

Part 15: Checklists

Part 16: Forms

Part 17: Legislation

• Index