Jury Selection Process Paper

Each American that has enlisted to vote or has a driver's permit can whenever be called to
serve on a jury. There are blended sentiments about being called for obligation. A few Americans
see it as an aggravation that will upset their lives. Others see it as a chance to serve their nation.
Being called to serve, and really serving is two separate matters. A jury is at last chosen by the
judge, prosecutor and safeguarding lawyer. How they will be they picked? How are they
discharged? Possibly this paper will answer a couple of these inquiries.
The choice of a jury is the methodology that happens just before the real trial, and after
the trial launch and the arraignment and supplication. Just around 10 percent of real arraignments
see a genuine trial, on the grounds that 90 percent of cases that are planning for trial wind up
tolerating a supplication deal (Schmalleher, 2009).
Any individual who is blamed for a wrongdoing and will stand trial is permitted by the
Sixth Amendment the privilege to an unprejudiced jury. For a jury to be fair-minded, it is not
generally genuine that they have no former information of the case by any means. On account of
a very broadcasted trial, it can be just about difficult to discover 12 individuals who know
nothing about the case close by or the charged. A few legal hearers will be pardoned in light of
how suitable they are judged to be for the case, and some may be pardoned due to reasons
outside their ability to control (Schmalleger, 2009). I have been called to serve jury obligation
one time in my life. At the time I had 2 little youngsters at home, one of them simply being
diagnosed with the Swine Flu 2 days former. When I told the judge this, he let me know not to
touch anybody in transit out of court, and wished my tyke well. It was not that I would not like to
serve; I felt my spot was with my kid, and was happy the judge concurred.

Jury Selection Process Paper

After the judge has done his beginning removing of individuals who have been called to
serve inside 2 years, individuals who have moved out of the ward range, elderly beyond 70 years
old who wish not to serve, and whatever other things he feels may ruin a jury; then the
individuals that are left now become acquainted with in real jury determination. These
individuals are addressed by both the prosecutor and the protection lawyer. This procedure is
known as the "voir pressing", which fundamentally intends to talk reality. Amid this process the
potential legal hearers are addressed around various things, from their religious practices to
things that have transpired. The purpose behind these open finished inquiries is to check whether
the attendant will be one-sided against the blamed, or may have convictions that will hurt a case
(Hill, 2005).

The lawyers can strike a potential member of the jury utilizing one of three difficulties.
These are difficulties to the exhibit, challenges for the reason, and preemptory challenges. The
test to the show is a test of the whole jury pool introduced for jury choice. This is when for the
most part the safeguard lawyer feels that none of the individuals on the jury are fit to serve. For
some reason they feel the selection is not a true representation of the community or that every
one of them is in some way biased. This challenge is heard before the selection of the jury begins
by the judge (Schmallenger, 2009). A challenge for the cause is unlimited to both the attorneys.
There can be many different bases for challenge for the cause, but there are 3 basic causes for
this type of challenge. They are that the potential juror knows the judge, defendant, or one of the
lawyers in the case. That it was discovered during voir dire that the person has a preconceived
notion that can harm their ability to fairly judge the case before them. The third is that they have
life experiences that can be shown to cause bias on a case (American Judicature Society, 2009).

Jury Selection Process Paper

The third type of challenge is the most controversial challenge, the preemptory challenge. This
challenge is where the attorneys have a preset number of challenges that they can just remove a
potential juror and give no reason at all. This is used on jurors that the attorneys feel that will not
be sympathetic to their case, either way (American Judicature Society, 2009).
During the case of Scott Peterson, the jury selection took three months. The pool started
with over a thousand people, and through the extensive questionnaires and further questioning
during voir dire, they finally narrowed the jury down to six men and six women, along with 6
alternates. 3 of these alternates were actually used to replace jury members, including the
foreman (findlaci2003.us, 2005). The Peterson case was a highly publicized case that involved
the murder of Petersons wife, and unborn child. The trial was said to last up to six months, in
any case kept going around five, from June to November 12, 2004 when the jury indicted for
first degree murder and their unborn child of second degree murder (Peterson trial.info, 2010).

Among the members of the jury was one African American lady, three white men, four
white ladies, one mother of four with pink hair, a lady of either white or Latino legacy, and three
men who were not distinguished as any certain race. One of these persons on the jury really
knew of Scott and Laci Peterson. His future son-in-law worked for the couple for about six
weeks at The Shack, the restaurant the couple owned. This individual now owns this same
restaurant. This man started out as an alternate (findlaci2003.us, 2004). This person being on the
jury can show just how hard it is to actually find enough people who do not know the accused, or
know of the accused.

Jury Selection Process Paper

To be selected for jury duty is an honor for every American. It is truly a shame that some
of them do not feel this same way. True, I did not get to serve when my name was picked
because of unforeseen circumstances, but that did not mean I would have been ready and willing
to serve if I needed to. My name may or may not get called again; its the luck of the draw. When
I searched this topic of jury duty on the internet, I was truly surprised of the number of pages
dedicated to how to get out of jury duty. Americans should be proud and happy to be able to
contribute to the justice system even though they arent a lawyer or a judge.

Jury Selection Process Paper

References

Jury Selection (2009). American Judicature Society. Retrieved May 9, 2010, from
http://www.ajs.org/jc/juries/jc_whoserves_selection.asp

Meet the Jury for Scott Peterson (2005, June 4). Find Laci 2003. Retrieved May 9, 2010, from
http://www.findlaci2003.us/jurorsFinal-6men-6women.html

Schmalleger, F (2009). Criminal Justice Today. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson
Prentice Hall.

Scott Peterson Trial Summary (2010). Peterson Trial.info. Retrieved May 9, 2010, from
http://petersontrial.info/scott-peterson-summary.php