JURY SELECTION / VOIR DIRE
Voir dire (French for “to tell the truth”), like the pre-trial motions period, represents a very important aspect of the trial process. Many attorneys believe that jury selection is the most crucial process in the whole trial, as it will directly affect the outcome of a case.
The stated purpose of jury selection is to obtain an impartial jury. The goal for the attorneys is to secure a jury that he or she believes will lead to the desired verdict. The process itself is full of clever maneuvering and strategizing in attempting to rach that goal.
For example, if you a Seattle DUI lawyer defending your client at trial, you will want to avoid a juror whose family member may have been involved in an accident with a drunk driver. Seasoned trial attorneys are able to weed out people who may have biases and prejudices that will work against them in attaining the verdict they want.
It works the same in the other direction as well, if a potential juror has a bias that works toward getting the verdict they want. It is the job of a Seattle DUI Lawyer to get the 6 (misdemeanor) or 12 (felony) on the jury that give the accused the best chance at a not guilty verdict.
The attorneys have the ability to challed a potential juror for any reason. Typical reasons for dismissal involve someone already having formed an opinion on the case, or having a vested interest in the outcome.
Each side has a set number of peremptory challenges, or challenges without cause, that allow them to eliminate a potential juror without having to provide a reason.
The law states the a juror must be questioned and selected based on fairness and competence, but that does not always happen. Voir dire is a trial within itself, sometimes lasting as long as the trial itself.
The truth is, ending up with even a slightly favorable juror can swing the odds of winning a DUI trial to an enormous degree, which is why voir dire is so crucial.
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