Jury Selection

• Author: Edward L. Birnbaum/Carl T. Grasso/Justice Ariel E. Belen
• Pages: 581-626

JURY SELECTION

20-1

CHAPTER 20

JURY SELECTION

I. PRINCIPLES AND GOALS

§20:01 Right to Voir Dire

§20:02 Purpose of Voir Dire

§20:03 Importance of Jury Selection

§20:04 Selection Is Actually Deselecting

§20:05 Fair Panel of Peers

§20:06 Be Prepared to Proceed With the Trial

II. PROCEDURE

A. General Points

§20:10 General Principles

§20:11 Voir Dire in Bifurcated Trial

§20:12 Presence of Judge

§20:13 Judicial Voir Dire

§20:14 Judge Not Available

§20:15 Time Limits on Voir Dire

§20:16 Presence of Parties

§20:17 Stipulations to Excuse a Juror

§20:18 Excusing Prospective Jurors

B. Alternative Methods

§20:30 Overview of Methods

§20:31 White’s Method

§20:32 Struck Method

§20:33 Strike and Replace Method

§20:34 Comparison of Methods

III. CHALLENGE TO THE ARRAY

§20:40 Panelist Poisons the Well

§20:41 Makeup of Community

§20:42 Timing of a Challenge to the Array

IV. EXAMINING PROSPECTIVE JURORS

A. Examining Entire Panel

1. All Counsel

§20:50 Establish Credibility

§20:51 Relax Panel Members

§20:52 Preliminary Remarks: Introduce Case and Themes

§20:53 “Programming” the Panel

JURY SELECTION

New York Trial Notebook 20-2

§20:54 Objecting During Voir Dire

§20:55 Determine the Prospect’s Honesty

§20:56 Attitudes About Lawyers

§20:57 Responding to Panel Comments

§20:58 Do Not Waste Time

§20:59 Do Not Embarrass Panel Members

§20:60 Inquire About Prospects’ Philosophy

§20:61 Inquire About Potential Evidence

2. Plaintiff’s Counsel

§20:70 Primacy: Take Advantage of Being First

§20:71 Allay General Suspicions

§20:72 Humanize the Case

§20:73 Address Weaknesses

§20:74 Jury Consultants

3. Defendant’s Counsel

§20:80 Remind the Panel to Keep an Open Mind

§20:81 Humanize Defendant

B. Examining Individual Panel Members

1. In General

§20:90 Juror Questionnaires

§20:91 Required General Information

§20:91.1 Using Social Media and the Internet to Research Prospective Jurors

§20:92 Question All Panel Members

§20:93 Minimize Repetition

§20:94 Prejudicial Responses

§20:95 Questioning Alternate Jurors

2. Gaining Commitment

§20:100 Sample Commitment Questions

§20:101 Use a Fair Selection of “Commitment” Questions

§20:102 Establish Commitments From Each Juror Prospect

§20:103 Handicapped or Disabled Prospective Jurors

3. Case Specif‌ic Information

§20:110 Automobile Accident

§20:111 Medical Malpractice

§20:112 Products Liability

§20:113 Corporate Party

§20:114 Governmental Entity Party

V. CHALLENGES FOR CAUSE

A. Grounds

§20:120 General Principles

§20:121 Statutory Grounds

§20:122 Other Grounds

B. Procedure

§20:130 In General

§20:131 Challenge for Cause Granted

§20:132 Challenge for Cause Denied

VI. PEREMP TORY CHALLENGES

A. Grounds

§20:140 General Principles

§20:141 Contesting Peremptory Challenges: Batson

§20:142 Batson Challenge Procedure

§20:143 Batson Challenge Factors

§20:144 Batson Challenge Remedies/Penalties

JURY SELECTION

20-3 Jury Selection

B. Number of Peremptory Challenges Allowed

§20:150 Generally Three per Side

§20:151 Court’s Discretion to Grant More

§20:152 Third Party Peremptory Challenges

VII. ALTERNATE JURORS

§20:160 Purpose; Selection Method

§20:161 Number

§20:162 Challenges to Alternates

§20:163 Nondesignated Alternates

VIII. PRESERVING THE RECORD

§20:170 Record Voir Dire

§20:171 Preliminary Rulings on Expected Conduct

§20:172 Objections to Voir Dire