What does the Latin phrase voir dire mean?
speak the truth
Voir dire (/ˈvwɑːr dɪər/; often /vɔɪr daɪər/; from an Anglo-Norman phrase meaning “speak the truth”) is a legal phrase for a variety of procedures connected with jury trials. It originally referred to an oath taken by jurors to tell the truth (Latin: verum dicere).
What does voir dire mean in legal terms?
Voir dire is the process used by the parties to select a fair and impartial jury. During voir dire, the jury panel is questioned by both parties’ lawyers. The questions are intended to help the lawyers in the jury selection process. After voir dire, the jury is selected from the panel.
How do you voir dire a jury?
Frederick provided 11 tips on how to effectively conduct voir dire:
- Adopt the proper orientation.
- Set the stage for jurors.
- Get them talking.
- Ask open-ended questions.
- Avoid the Socially Desirable Response Bias.
- Focus on difficulty vs.
- Use alternative route to uncover bias.
- Design questions using “bad” answers.
Why is jury selection called voir dire?
Lawyers and judges select juries by a process known as “voir dire,” which is Latin for “to speak the truth.” In voir dire, the judge and attorneys for both sides ask potential jurors questions to determine if they are competent and suitable to serve in the case.
What is the difference between venire and voir dire?
The process of selecting a jury is called “voir dire” and is a part of the regular jury trial process. Approximately 20 people serve on the jury or venire (group of prospective jurors from which the jury will be chosen). After voir dire, the attorneys will “strike” a venire in order to get the 12 jurors.
How many voir dire are there?
Conducting voir dire Typically, at least 30 prospective jurors will be initially called as the panel. When filling the jury box with prospective jurors, the judge may seat 12 in the box.
How do you perform voir dire?
What is the meaning of the phrase voir dire?
Voir dire. Voir dire ( /ˈvwɑːr dɪər/) is a legal phrase for a variety of procedures connected with jury trials. It originally referred to an oath taken by jurors to tell the truth ( Latin: verum dicere ), [citation needed] i.e., to say what is true, what is objectively accurate or subjectively honest, or both.
Can a voir dire affect a criminal trial?
Under Scots law, jury selection is random, and there are a few well-defined exclusions in criminal trials. In Canada, the case of Erven v. The Queen holds that testimony on a voir dire cannot influence the trial itself. This remains true even if the judge ruled against the accused in the voir dire.
What are the rules for voir dire in Australia?
Use in Commonwealth countries, Ireland and Hong Kong. In Australia, the rule about voir dire is in section 189 of the Evidence Act 1995 (Cth): “On a voir dire parties can call witnesses, cross-examine opponent’s witnesses and make submissions- as they might in the trial proper.”.
How is the word voir related to the French word voire?
It is related to the modern French word voire, “indeed”, but not to the more common word voir, “to see”, which derives from Latin vidēre. William Blackstone referred to it as veritatem dicere, which was translated by John Winter Jones as “To speak the truth”.