Jury selection意思

"Jury selection" is a legal term that refers to the process of choosing a jury for a trial. During jury selection, attorneys for both the prosecution and the defense question potential jurors to determine if they are suitable to serve on the jury. The goal of jury selection is to select a jury that is impartial and will base their verdict on the evidence presented in court.

The jury selection process typically involves the following steps:

  1. Venire: A venire is a group of potential jurors who have been summoned to the courthouse. The venire may include more people than are needed for the jury, plus alternates.

  2. Questioning: Attorneys for both sides are allowed to ask potential jurors questions to determine their suitability. These questions can range from basic inquiries about the juror's background and occupation to more specific questions about their views on the law, any biases they may have, and whether they know anyone involved in the case.

  3. Challenges: Both the prosecution and the defense have a limited number of challenges they can use to remove potential jurors. There are two types of challenges:

    • Peremptory challenges: These can be used without stating a reason.
    • For-cause challenges: These are used when a potential juror has a bias or other issue that would prevent them from being impartial.

  4. Selection: After challenges are made, the remaining potential jurors are selected to serve on the jury. The number of jurors will typically include a certain number of alternates, in case one of the primary jurors is unable to continue serving.

Jury selection is an important part of the legal process because it ensures that the trial is fair and that the jury is capable of rendering an impartial verdict based on the evidence presented in court.