The Selection Process

Juror Selection

Receiving a summons for jury duty does not mean that you will actually serve on a jury.  However, if you are qualified to serve and you do not ask to be excused or exempted, you will be able to participate in the jury selection process which may take only a day or a fraction of a day to complete.  The process begins as groups of prospective jurors, usually numbering fifty to sixty in district courts, are assembled in a courtroom with the judge, the lawyers, and usually the parties of a particular case. Lawyers then conduct what is called voir dire (which means to speak the truth), which allows the lawyers and the judge to have the opportunity to ask each prospective juror a series of questions.  While the lawyers are aware of your answers to the questionnaire that you filled out earlier, the lawyers and the judge may still ask you some of the same questions and some additional questions to ensure that you are indeed qualified to serve, and that you are indeed able to perform your civic duty in a fair and impartial manner.  After questioning the prospective jurors, the lawyers and the parties they represent will be given the opportunity to make any challenges for cause and peremptory challenges to individual prospective jurors (see definitions).  After all challenges are utilized, a jury with one to four alternates is impaneled to hear the evidence in the case.

Juror Oath

At some point during the jury selection process, prospective jurors are given an oath by which they swear or affirm to tell the truth when answering questions about their qualifications as jurors.