(vwahr [with a near-silent "r"] deer) n. from French "to see to speak," the questioning
of prospective jurors by a judge and attorneys in court. Voir dire is used to determine
if any juror is biased and/or cannot deal with the issues fairly, or if there is
cause not to allow a juror to serve (knowledge of the facts; acquaintanceship with
parties, witnesses or attorneys; occupation which might lead to bias; prejudice
against the death penalty; or previous experiences such as having been sued in a
similar case). Actually one of the unspoken purposes of the voir dire is for the
attorneys to get a feel for the personalities and likely views of the people on
the jury panel. In some courts the judge asks most of the questions, while in others
the lawyers are given substantial latitude and time to ask questions. Some jurors
may be dismissed for cause by the judge, and the attorneys may excuse others in
"peremptory" challenges without stating any reason. 2) questions asked to determine
the competence of an alleged expert witness. 3) any hearing outside the presence
of the jury held during trial.
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