Chapter 4 - 4.3 Voir Dire

• Jurisdiction: Virginia

4.3 VOIR DIRE

4.301 In General. Voir dire is the examination, under oath, of members of the jury panel. The purpose of voir dire is solely to determine whether each potential member of the jury panel can fairly and impartially decide the facts of the case.⁵ it is not appropriate for counsel to use the process as a forum to express personal opinions or justify their theories of the case.⁶

A per se disqualification of a juror is appropriate when the potential juror is a current client of counsel for a party or when a juror's close relative would appear as a witness.⁷

4.302 Virginia Practice. Rule 3:22A of the Rules of the supreme Court of Virginia permits counsel to ask any questions relevant to the jurors' qualifications and also to introduce competent evidence in support of an objection to a particular juror. Each potential juror can be asked if he or she is related to any party, has any interest in the case, has expressed or formed an opinion, or is conscious of any bias or prejudice that would affect his or her ability to hear...