Jury Selection Procedures in the United States

Jury Selection Procedures and the Federal Courts

In the words of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts: Potential jurors are selected from any source that will yield a representative sample of the judicial district’s population. Most often, jurors are chosen from a pool generated by a random selection of citizens’ names from lists of registered voters, or combined lists of voters and people with a driver’s license. The potential jurors complete questionnaires to help determine whether they are qualified to serve on a jury. After reviewing the questionnaires, the court randomly selects individuals to be summoned to appear for jury duty. These selection methods help ensure that jurors represent a cross section of the community, without regard to race, gender, national origin, age, or political affiliation. Jurors receive modest compensation and expenses from the court for their service. Being summoned for jury service does not guarantee that an individual actually will serve on a jury. When a jury is needed for a trial, the group of qualified jurors is taken to the courtroom where the trial will take place. The judge and the attorneys then ask the potential jurors questions to determine their suitability to serve on the jury, a process called voir dire. The purpose of voir dire is to exclude from the jury people who may not be able to decide the case fairly. Members of the panel who know any person involved in the case, who have information about the case, or who may have strong prejudices about the people or issues involved in the case typically will be excused by the judge. The attorneys also may exclude a limited number of jurors without giving a reason.