How do lawyers pick jurors

Prosecutors told the jury that Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes, depriving him of oxygen. Of the five men and seven women on the jury, six were white, four were Black and two were multiracial, according to court information. I look at their backgrounds. I look at their occupations and a couple of things that they've said. And it seems like a pretty good jury for the prosecution," he said.

Choosing a jury is a delicate balance. The potential jurors in the Chauvin trial were required to fill out an extensive questionnaire about their views on subjects related to the case. The Chauvin team got rid of all the people that hate police, that hate him, that are really involved in the Black Lives Matter movement and don't think about alternative viewpoints," Tuerkheimer said. But you know, they're still looking to get rid of people who are overly aligned with the police.

Who love the police. This is a key part of how lawyers pick jurors. It affords the attorney the opportunity to work out bias, pick those jurors that will most benefit their case, and eliminate those who present a danger or a problem. They key in voir dire is to keep the jurors talking. Juries fulfill one of the most vital roles in the jury trial. It is, after all, the jury that decides the verdict of a case, who wins and who loses.

In a civil case, the jury will determine the degree of fault any given party holds, which will have a direct effect on the award amount you will receive. From the side of the plaintiff , jury selection is actually much more a process of dismissal than selection; that is, your attorney wants to weed out undesirable members.

The plaintiff always goes first, which means they get to set the tone for jury selection. Especially in an injury suit or wrongful death case, the goal is to get the jury to sympathize with the suffering of their client.

See The Right to Trial by Jury. Lawyers and judges select juries by a process known as "voir dire," which is Latin for "to speak the truth. Errors during jury selection are common grounds for appeal in criminal cases.

When a case is called for trial, a randomly selected panel of potential jurors called a venire is seated in the courtroom. The trial judge begins voir dire by asking the prospective jurors questions to ensure that are they are legally qualified to serve on a jury and that jury service would not them cause undue hardship.

For example, most states allow a student who might miss critical exams, a person who has an upcoming surgery scheduled, or someone who serves as sole caretaker of an ill or elderly family member to be excused from jury service for undue hardship. Next, the lawyers for each side question the potential jurors about their biases and backgrounds, as well as any pre-existing knowledge they might have about the case.

The attorneys can also ask questions designed to uncover characteristics or experiences that might cause potential jurors to favor either the prosecution or the defense. But the lawyers aren't allowed to ask overly personal questions, and they aren't allowed ask the jurors how they would decide the case in advance.

After they have completed questioning, the lawyers begin removing potential jurors from the venire by making challenges for cause and peremptory challenges. Challenges for cause are made when voir dire reveals that a juror is not qualified, able, or fit to serve in a particular case. Lawyers generally have an unlimited number of "for cause" challenges available.

In order to serve as a juror, a person must be a U. Also, each person must be able to physically sit through the entire trial as well as hear and understand the trial testimony. Jurors must also be mentally aware enough to comprehend and apply the judge's legal instructions. Any person who doesn't meet these criteria will be dismissed "for cause.

Judges will also dismiss jurors who can't put aside their feelings and apply the law impartially—that is, without actual or implied bias. Actual Bias. Actual bias arises when potential jurors admit that they wouldn't be able to be impartial.

Jury service Breadcrumbs. How a jury is selected On this page: Pre-trial ballot Jury ballot Challenge No challenge Swearing-in process A jury is made up of 12 people, but more than 12 people are summoned to the selection process. Examples of reasons not related to your health or an emergency include: your request for an excusal or deferral has been declined you have language difficulties your knowledge of someone involved with the case, or your personal experiences, could affect your ability to be fair and open-minded.

Swearing-in process As a juror, you must promise to do your best to be fair and open-minded. The trial will then begin.