Selecting a Jury
Although it seems like the percentage of cases that actually proceeds to a jury trial decreases annually, many defendants every year find themselves facing the critical stage of trial where they pick a jury. The Constitutions of the United States and the State of Tennessee guarantee a criminal defendant the right to a trial by a jury of his or her peers in most cases, but ensuring that the jury is one that is comprised of individuals who are fair and unbiased is the job of the criminal defense attorney.
Criminal defense attorneys have a tough task in determining whether or not a prospective juror is suitable to sit on the jury in a particular case. Although attorneys are allowed to question the jurors through the process of voir dire and try to determine how a juror may feel about the case in general, many attitudes and opinion, such as racial bias, sexual orientation bias, or gender bias, are not attitudes very many people will admit to harboring when asked in front of other individuals. For this reason, in cases where such attitudes could be unusually harmful to the defendant, judges may allow the criminal defense attorney to use a questionnaire or individual voir dire of each juror to determine whether the individual harbors any attitudes or beliefs that may be harmful to the defendant's case.
The important thing to remember about a jury is that they alone are the individuals who will decide a criminal defendant's guilt or innocence. Although seating a suitable jury is a tough order, it is one that the experienced criminal defense attorney has grown accustomed to and will be well prepared to handle. Contact a skilled Tennessee criminal defense attorney today for assistance throughout the trial process.
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