Civil Litigation-Voir Dire
If the case is to be tried before a jury, then the first stage in the trial is voir dire. Voir dire literally means “to speak truthfully.” It is an opportunity for certain questions to be asked of the potential jurors to determine whether they know anything about the case, whether they know any of the parties, whether they have any interest in the outcome of the case, or whether they may have any particular bias or prejudice for or against either party. Voir dire is typically conducted by the attorneys, although in some courts, it may be conducted by the judge. Once the voir dire is completed, the parties have the opportunity to strike (dismiss) all or some of those jurors they feel would not be receptive to their case.
In addition, some jurors may be stricken for cause. For example, if a juror indicates that, based upon what she has heard about the case, she has already made up her mind, typically she is going to be stricken for cause because she comes to the case with a predisposition.
