What is the duty of the bailiff?

• A. To maintain order, security, and safety in the courtroom; assist court staff and jurors.
• B. To rule on motions and objections.
• C. To manage calendar of the court.
• D. To draft judgments.

Answer: (A)

The bailiff’s main duty is to maintain order, security, and safety in the courtroom and to assist court staff and jurors. This means managing the courtroom environment—monitoring behavior, enforcing rules of conduct, controlling access and movement in and out of the courtroom, and being ready to respond to emergencies. They also support the judge, attorneys, witnesses, and jurors by providing assistance as needed, such as escorting jurors or handling routine courtroom tasks to help proceedings run smoothly. The other tasks listed belong to different roles: ruling on motions and objections is the judge’s responsibility, managing the court calendar is handled by clerks or court administration, and drafting judgments is done by the judge (often with clerical support).