Jury Selection Definition and Legal Meaning

On this page, you'll find the legal definition and meaning of Jury Selection, written in plain English, along with examples of how it is used.

What is Jury Selection?

it refers to the procedure of selecting the jury by randomly selecting them from either voters list, automobile directory or telephone directory and then testing the selected ones for elimination to keep the best. The testing process involves, the judges and attornies questing, challenging the jurors without cause, dismissing them even before the trial begins and then finally forming the jury of selected ones. The plaintiff in the civil case can also take part in selection process and can dismiss wthe juror with cause

History and Meaning of Jury Selection

Jury selection is a critical stage in a trial in which the attorneys of both parties, the defendant's counsel, and the judge examine potential jurors' qualifications to sit on a trial jury. The earliest mentions of a jury date back to the medieval period. The term "jury" comes from the Latin term "juria," which means "oath." In medieval England, jurors were called upon to take an oath to provide truthful answers to questions put before them in legal proceedings. Over the years, the jury system has evolved into its modern form. Today, most American states and other countries use a variant of some system of selecting jurors.

Examples of Jury Selection

Here are some common examples of jury selection:

  • After the selection, the judge instructed the jurors not to discuss the case with anyone or to read or listen to media reports on the case.
  • The attorneys spent the entire day questioning potential jurors, hoping to find a suitable jury for the complicated case.
  • During the selection process, one potential juror stated that he could not be impartial, seeing the accused as guilty from the outset.
  • The plaintiff's counsel objected to the inclusion of a particular juror on the basis of their personal relationship with one of the accused.

Legal Terms Similar to Jury Selection

Here are some related legal terms:

  • Jury pool: a group of individuals summoned to appear for jury duty.
  • Voir dire: the process of questioning potential jurors to determine their suitability for service on a trial jury.
  • Peremptory challenge: the right to reject a potential juror without stating a reason.
  • Challenge for cause: a request to dismiss a juror for reasons such as bias, prejudice, or relevant prior experience.