Bailiffs
Protective Service
The job is courthouse security from the door to the bench. People coming in are screened with magnetometers and x-ray machines so firearms and other contraband stay out. Inside, the work is keeping the courtroom quiet, warning anyone who disrupts proceedings, guarding the jury from outside contact, and escorting prisoners so they remain in custody during trial. It also means patrolling the building, walking judges and staff, watching a sequestered jury at their lodging when needed, and making arrests when a warrant is issued, with extra police or medical help going through the sheriff's office. It suits people who like steady security routines and close observation of a room.
Typical education: High School Diploma or GED
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$56'600
Median Wage Market Position
$56'600
What you might do
- Keep order in the courtroom during trials
- Screen people entering the courthouse for weapons
- Escort prisoners to court and watch them
- Patrol the building and escort court staff
- Guard sequestered juries from outside contact
- Arrest people named on issued warrants
Skills that matter
- Magnetometer and x-ray visitor screening
- Escorting prisoners during court
- Guarding juries from outside contact
- Patrolling courthouse halls and grounds
- Warning people who disrupt proceedings
- Serving arrest warrants in court
AI & the future of this role
Courtroom presence, physical security, and real-time enforcement of a judge’s orders rely on in-person authority that software cannot exercise. Screening or scheduling tools may tidy logistics, yet liability and orderly proceedings keep people central to the job.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details