The jury selection process for a particular trial begins as soon as people with realistic excuses are allowed to leave the courthouse. The remaining individuals are kept in a group and are chosen for the next trials. They will line you up in a particular order and send specific groups into the courtroom for the judge to receive and instruct. These instructions are usually quite long, lasting between thirty minutes and an hour.
Although standard juries only use 12 people, you will notice that there is room for up to 14 people in the jury box to include alternates. Alternates are chosen in case the judge removes a juror for misconduct or breach of restrictions.
See Say – Questioning
After being ushered into the courtroom, you will eventually be questioned. At first you will take an oath, using the usual oath that commits you to tell the truth. The following questions are chosen to help decide whether or not you will be biased in deliberating a particular case. If the case involves a school teacher, the judge wants to make sure that no jury is biased for or against the school teacher, which means that if you are a teacher, you are likely to be exonerated.
In addition, the judge and lawyers will ask you questions about your family and friends, making sure you don’t know anyone in the system who might bias your decision or make it impossible to maintain your impartiality during the trial. Other questions may include whether you believe in the jury system and the fairness of the law. Attorneys may also broadcast questions of their own that target specific traits in jurors that they consider prejudicial; in certain cases, you can expect to be asked some personal questions.
Jury Choice
After the question period, the judge will excuse the group of potential jurors for a moment and begin going over their answers and whether they are fit to hear the particular case or whether they should be fired.
Lawyers for either party are also allowed a certain number of “peremptory challenges” designed to give them free choice to excuse any jurors they wish for any reason. They are often used by either side to excuse any jurors who might seem prejudicial to their case.
Once the jury selection process is complete, the jurors will be called back into the courtroom and presented to the judge. Subsequently, they will be located in a private seat inside the jury’s box. Alternatives will also be chosen and the remainder of those who reported for jury duty will be excused for the remainder of the day, though they will continue to call until their term of jury duty is complete.