Questions are intended to weed out people who have strong opinions about the subject matter, who already have personal knowledge about the case, or who may have a bias for or against either party to the trial.
COLLOQUY LEGAL DEFINITION TRIAL
In the U.S., the voir dire process is used to choose jurors for a civil or criminal trial that are likely to be impartial and fair in their judgment. In addition, the court will generally excuse an individual over 70 years of age from jury duty if requested. In some extreme cases, however, the court may dismiss a potential juror for undue hardship, and this is done on a case-by-case basis.
While most reasons people might give as a hardship making it difficult for them to serve on a jury, few of these excuses are actually considered valid. Once there, each person is brought into the room and questioned by the parties or their attorneys, as well as the judge to determine whether he or she has any bias about the case, or about either party to the case. Potential jurors are notified by mail of the date and time to report to the courthouse for jury selection. This mandatory service is necessary to guarantee each individual accused of a crime to an impartial trial of his peers, and to fairly judge the circumstances in civil lawsuits. Jury pools are obtained from such sources as voter registration, the department of motor vehicles, records of the Secretary of State, and sometimes records from the department of public health. Jury Duty in the U.S.Įvery American citizen has a duty to serve on a jury if requested, and lists of potential jurors in each jurisdiction are compiled by the court. In past centuries, a challenge against any potential juror would be tried by other jurors already chosen, rather than by decision between the parties and the judge. This meant that the juror promised to be impartial and honest in hearing testimony, viewing evidence, and in rendering judgment. Historically, the legal term voir dire referred to an oath required of all jurors to tell the truth, or to say what is true. 1676 Anglo-French History of Voir Dire in the U.S.
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