Judges
(NOC 4111)
in All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community ServicesJudges decide civil and criminal cases and administer justice in courts of law. Judges oversee over federal and provincial courts.
Job Outlook
Undetermined
Read more
Compared to: All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services
Hourly Pay
N/A
MinimumN/A
MedianN/A
MaximumAnnual Pay
$238,513
Minimum$369,750
Median$369,750
MaximumCompared to: All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services
Hourly Pay
$16.30
Minimum$30.00
Median$51.30
MaximumAnnual Pay
$5,616
Minimum$44,335
Median$92,599
MaximumAbout the job
Nature of work
Judges decide civil and criminal cases and administer justice in courts of law. Judges oversee over federal and provincial courts.
Job duties
Judges: Lead courts, interpret and enforce rules of procedure and make rulings about the admissibility of evidence.
- Instruct the jury on laws that are applicable 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 individuals convicted in criminal cases and determine damages or other appropriate remedy in civil cases.
- Grant divorces and divide assets between spouses.
- Determine custody of children between contesting parents and other guardians.
- Enforce court orders for access or support.
- Supervise other judges and court officers.
- Judges may specialize areas of law like civil, criminal or family law.
Sample job titles
- chief justice
- court of Queen's Bench justice
- family court judge
- federal trail court justice
- provincial court of appeal justice
- small claims court judge
- superior court justice
Skills
- Excellent spoken communication skills are important for courtroom work. You should have a strong command of language and the ability to think logically and analytically. Patience, tact, and an understanding of human nature would be helpful in dealing with the public.
Job requirements
- Judges usually require extensive experience as a lawyer or as a professor of law with continuous membership in the bar association.
- Membership in good standing with a provincial law society or bar association is required.
- Judges are appointed by federal or provincial cabinets.
- Those appointed to more senior positions in a court, like chief justice, usually have experience as judges in that court.
Other considerations
- Judges tend to work regular business hours.
By the numbers
Quick look
employed in 2016
employed full-time
self employed
median age
Compared to: All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services
employed in 2016
employed full-time
self employed
median age
Where will I likely work?
Halifax
$305,556 median annual incomeNorth Shore
N/ACape Breton
N/ASouthern
N/ACompared to: All NS Occupations
Halifax
North Shore
Annapolis Valley
Cape Breton
Southern
Top Industries of Employment
Public administration
What is the age of Employment?
55-64
65+
45-54
Compared to: All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services
35-44
45-54
25-34
55-64
15-24
Top levels of education
Bachelor
$305,672 median annual incomeMaster
N/ADiploma Above Bachelor
N/ACompared to: All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services
Bachelor
$45,929 median annual incomeCollege Diploma
$35,398 median annual incomeMaster
$71,043 median annual incomeHigh school
$29,055 median annual incomeDoctorate
$100,443 median annual incomeEducation & training
Law (LLB, JD, BCL)
University ProgramThese programs prepare students for the independent professional practice of common or civil law, for becoming a Quebec notary, for taking bar examinations, and for advanced research in jurisprudence. They include courses in the theory and practice of the legal system, including the statutory, administrative, and judicial components of civil and criminal law.
Institutions providing this program
Employment requirements & contacts
Regulations
Right to Practice: This job is regulated in Nova Scotia. A licence shows that the holder has met provincial requirements and is required to legally do this work.
Contacts
Additional resources
There are no additional resources for this occupation.