Jury Duty — The Selection Process (Voir Dire)

You showed up at court on the date specified because you’re a good citizen. Now what? This is Part 2 of our jury duty series.

How Selection Works

Procedures vary somewhat between courts, but the general process is consistent. A large pool of potential jurors gathers in a central room. Groups are sent to individual courtrooms where cases are ready for trial. The judge introduces the case and the lawyers, then voir dire begins.

What Lawyers Are Looking For

Both sides want jurors who will be fair — but “fair” means different things to each side. The plaintiff’s attorney looks for jurors who are empathetic, have experience with injury or insurance disputes, and believe in accountability. The defense attorney looks for jurors who are skeptical of lawsuits, value personal responsibility, and may be resistant to large damage awards.

Neither side wants jurors who’ve already made up their minds.

The Questions

Expect questions about your occupation and background, whether you’ve been involved in lawsuits before, your experience with insurance companies, whether you know any of the parties, lawyers, or witnesses, any personal experiences that might make this case difficult for you, and whether you can follow the law as the judge explains it even if you disagree with it.

Challenges

For-cause challenges are unlimited. If a juror demonstrates actual bias — “I could never award a lot of money in a lawsuit” — either side can ask the judge to remove them. Peremptory challenges are limited (typically 4-6 per side in Arizona civil cases). Each side can remove jurors without giving a reason, as long as the removal isn’t based on race, gender, or other protected characteristics.

If you’re selected, you’ll receive your juror badge and the trial begins. For what happens next, see our posts on evidence and lawyers and deliberation.