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Essay / The Jury Selection Process
The Jury Selection ProcessThe right to a trial by jury is promoted by the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The jury selection process is the process by which people who are going to serve on the jury primarily in a jury trial. The jury is selected by lawyers and judges through a process called voir dire. Usually, judges and lawyers decide who will serve on the jury by asking questions. The jury selection process is a very important aspect of the criminal justice process. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay When a case goes to court, a random number of potential jurors are also called the venue seats in the courtroom. The trial then begins with voir dire questions to determine whether the potential jurors are of sound mind and whether serving on the jury will not cause them hardship. In most cases, a person who is the sole caregiver of a sick person can be excused from serving on the jury (Hans and Vidmar 39). Lawyers then question potential jurors about their general background and biases. Additionally, they may also be asked questions regarding their knowledge about the pre-existing case. Lawyers can ask questions to determine experiences that might cause jurors to favor one of the parties involved, that is, the prosecution and the defense. However, lawyers are not allowed to ask personal questions or find out how jurors would decide the case in advance (Hans and Vidmar 45). Once the attorneys complete the questioning process, the attorneys begin eliminating potential jurors from the panel by creating challenges. (challenges for cause and peremptory challenges). For example, to serve on the jury, a person must be 18 years old and a U.S. citizen. Additionally, potential jurors may be eliminated if they are unable to present sound characteristics. Judges can also remove people who cannot apply the law impartially (Hans and Vidmar 50). Finally, there is the “jury strike” where the defense and prosecution defend their case against challenge challenges. If the challenge is granted by the judge, the juror is removed from the jury. When there are no longer any possible explanations for the reasoned challenges, the defense and the prosecution exchange points of view. At the end of the challenges, the selected jurors are then placed in the jury box. The lawyers then highlight possible challenges related to demographic composition. Jurors are then sworn in and the jury selection process moves to the next stage of the trial process (Hans and Vidmar 50). Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a personalized essay conclusively. , even though there have been complaints regarding the jury selection process, the jury selection process is very crucial in criminal justice because it provides lawyers with the opportunity to develop a relationship with the jury and inform them about some theories they might have regarding the case.