Jury Selection is a Sticky (Note) Process

Nine post-it stuck on green chalkboard. Clipping path included.
About ten years ago, I was becoming a little frustrated with the rapidity of the jury selection process in my court.  In my court, we are often given only a few minutes to assemble our list of peremptory strikes.  The process takes place usually with the prospective jurors seated in the gallery waiting, so the judges don't want us to take too much time. When it came time to select a jury at the close of voir dire, I found ...

The Top 10 Voir Dire Mistakes That Make Jurors Dislike You

lawyer looking suspicious
Voir dire is your chance to determine which prospective jurors are qualified to sit on the jury in your trial.  Regardless of whether you do the voir dire yourself or the judge does it, voir dire is a terrific opportunity to develop rapport with jurors and make them feel comfortable in your presence. Don't squander that opportunity by creating barriers to that rapport or by making jurors like you less!   The Top 10 Voir Dire Mistakes (complete w/ Index ...

In Jury Selection, Remember Your Math

Professor in glasses thinking about math formulas
I recently had the opportunity to observe the jury selection process for a trial at my local courthouse.  The civil case was not terribly complex, nor was it a high-profile case.  The jury for the trial would consist of 6 jurors and 2 alternates.  Each side would have 3 peremptory strikes. For some reason, the judge had decided to bring in a 50-person venire from which to select the jurors. As I watched the attorneys in the case furiously scribbling ...