How to Address Judges and Court Staff

Last Reviewed: January 2026 Reviewed by: Justice Education Society

The ways to address members and staff of the court are described below. Although they may seem awkward, addressing a judge or a master correctly will help you present your case in court.

Supreme Court Judges

In court, refer to the judge as “Justice Last-name”. For example, Justice Brown.
In writing, refer to a judge of the Supreme Court as “The Honourable Mr./Madam Justice”, followed by his/her last name (e.g. The Honourable Mr. Justice Brown).

Associate Judges (Formerly Masters)

In court, address an associate judge as “Your Honour.”

Registrars

In court, refer to the Registrar as “Your Honour”.

Read the Rules

Practice Direction 64 – Form of Address – BC Supreme Court

Practice Direction 50 - Associate Judges' Jurisdiction - BC Courts

When the Hearing Begins

Stand when the judge or associate judge enters

The Court clerk will say “Order in Court” when the judge or associate judge is about to enter. Stand up. Stay standing until after the judge or associate judge has sat down. The court clerk will “call the case”. This will mean they will say something like “In the Supreme Court of British Columbia, this 11th day of February 2026, calling the matter of Smith v. Jones”.

Stand to introduce yourself

You and the other side will then introduce yourselves. You should say your name, spell your last name, and say who you are (for example, you might say “John Jones, J-O-N-E-S, and I am the claimant”. You should provide the justice with your name, title (e.g. “Mr./Ms./Mx./Counsel Jones”) and the correct pronouns to be used in the proceeding.

Sit while the other side is talking, stand while you are talking

Unless you have a medical issue, you must stand when talking to the judge or associate judge. When the other side is talking, remain sitting.

Do not interrupt

Perhaps nothing annoys judges more than being interrupted. Always let a judge finish talking. Many judges speak slowly, so wait at least 2 seconds after a judge has finished speaking to begin talking yourself. Also, do not interrupt the other side. You will have your chance to speak. Interrupting the other side is rude and improper, and will only hurt the impression you make to the court.

Take notes

When the other side is speaking, it is best to keep your head down and make notes. You will want to remember what they said so you can respond to it. It is especially important to remember what the judge or associate judge says in their questions. These can let you know parts of the case they may be having difficulty with.