Sheriff Definition: Individuals empowered to ensure the security of courthouses generally and courtrooms especially, to keep prisoners secure whilst in the courthouse, to secure jurors during trials and to assist in the execution of court orders. Related Terms: Bailiff In R. v. Gillespie, Justice Philp of the Manitoba Court of Appeal used these words, at ¶30: "... the principal duties of a sheriff include ensuring security in courthouses and other government buildings, keeping of prisoners in safe custody, summoning jurors for sittings of the Court of Queen’s Bench, the execution of orders of the court and the conduct of judicial and statutory seizures and sales, a law enforcement role as a peace officer ... and such other matters as may be required by the court ... in the exercise of its jurisdiction." REFERENCES: Duhaime, Lloyd, Legal Definition of Bailiff R. v. Gillespie 182 DLR 4th 599; also [2000] 3 W.W.R. 739, 141 C.C.C. (3d) 526, 29 C.R. (5th) 386 and 142 Man. R. (2d) 96 (MBCA) Sheriff Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 425 Categories & Topics: Criminal Law Dictionary Find you are constantly looking up definitions? Try our search provider (works in most modern browsers) If you find an error or omission in Duhaime's Legal Dictionary, or if you have legal term suggestion, we'd love to hear from you!