Types of Voir Dire

We’ve found that no two voir dires go exactly the same, but we encounter a handful of typical jury selection scenarios:

One-day Live Voir Dire

For the majority of the cases we work, voir dire begins and ends in one day. Our team is ready to work around 8:30 AM, and depending on how many motions there are to argue, the clerk will give us the jury list between 9:30 and 10:00. By 3:30 to 4:00, cause and hardship strikes are made, and we’ll have gotten through most of the list so the trial attorney can make informed decisions on peremptory strikes. Often by lunch recess, our Visual Jury Report will have substantial information on the first dozen or two jurors.

Advance Jury List

We get an advance copy of the jury list in about 20% of the trials we work. Sometimes it’s the night before jury selection; sometimes it’s weeks before. Usually it’s on a Friday afternoon for a trial to begin Monday. Generally 12 hours is enough time for us to build a Visual Jury Report on practically any jury list.

Multiple Day Live Voir Dire

In some cases, individual voir dire for trial publicity or to question jurors about sensitive subjects causes jury selection to go on for days. In these cases, our team focuses on the jurors most likely to be questioned during the first day of trial so we can provide information for live voir dire. Then, the evening of the first day, our team will complete the list so the trial team has the final Visual Jury Report for the rest of voir dire. Sometimes, trial teams retain one vetter for the rest of voir dire to address specific issues as they come up in questioning.

Anything Goes

We’ve seen jurors have a medical emergency during voir dire. We’ve evacuated the courthouse for a fire alarm. We’ve busted panels with too many hardships. We’ve had whole panels tossed out at the end of a day. Anything can happen during trial. Our team may not have seen it all, but no matter what it is, we’ve seen something like it. Once you bring us on board, we’re part of your team, and we’ll adapt to whatever circumstances the court throws at us.