18.20.4 Voir Dire.

• Jurisdiction: Arizona

18.20.4 Voir Dire. Prospective jurors are questioned by the court to determine their suitability. This process is called voir dire. While the court generally directs this questioning, the attorneys may also participate.⁴⁶⁰ Generally, the court will conduct a “thorough” examination of the prospective jurors, but the attorneys are provided the opportunity to ask additional questions.⁴⁶¹ The court, however, retains the power to terminate or limit voir dire if the system is being abused by any party.⁴⁶²

In order to determine suitability, the court’s line of questioning is necessarily broad, but usually includes such issues as whether any juror knows anyone involved in the case, has a separate interest in the case, if biased or prejudiced for or against any party, has formed an opinion about the merits of the case, knows the attorneys involved, has already heard about the case, or other reasons the juror feels he may not be an impartial juror in the matter. Once the court’s interrogation is finished, counsel will normally ask a few questions of each potential juror as well. The attorney’s questions should relate to the particular case, although the propriety of the general scope of the question is left to the court’s discretion.⁴⁶³ The questions are not restricted...