Question 1

The questioning of potential jurors is called

Accepted Answer

Voir dire is the questioning process used to screen potential jurors and select a jury for a trial. Venire refers to the group of potential jurors who have been summoned to appear in court. Sequester refers to the isolation of jurors from the outside world during the trial to prevent outside influence. Inquiry is a general term for questioning or investigation, but does not specifically refer to the questioning of potential jurors.

Question 2

In a high-profile case what might be necessary to find a pool of potential jurors who could render a fair and impartial verdict, free from the taint of pretrial publicity?

Accepted Answer

To find a pool of potential jurors who could render a fair and impartial verdict, free from the taint of pretrial publicity, a change in venue may be necessary. This involves moving the trial to a different location where the potential jurors may not have been exposed to as much pretrial publicity. This can help ensure a fair trial for all parties involved. Jury consultants may be used to assist with jury selection, but this alone may not guarantee an impartial jury. A change in custody and rebuttal are not relevant to the process of finding an impartial jury.

Question 3

How many challenges for cause may be made by the prosecution and the defense in a felony criminal trial?

Accepted Answer

In a felony criminal trial, both the prosecution and the defense can make an unlimited number of challenges for cause, as long as they are able to show a valid reason for the challenge.

Question 4

What Amendment guarantees that "in all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury?"

Accepted Answer

The 6th Amendment guarantees the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury in all criminal prosecutions. The 4th Amendment guarantees protection against unreasonable searches and seizures, the 5th Amendment guarantees protection against self-incrimination and double jeopardy, and the 7th Amendment guarantees the right to a trial by jury in civil cases. Therefore, the correct answer is C) 6th Amendment.

Question 5

A defendant charged with a serious offense has the right to a jury trial only if the offense is punishable by a term of incarceration of more than

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court has held that defendants are entitled to a jury trial for offenses punishable by incarceration of more than six months. This standard was established in Baldwin v. New York, 399 U.S. 66 (1970).

Question 6

In which of the following crime labs have significant error in laboratory testing been documented?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In which of the following crime labs...

Question 7

Pretrial publicity can taint a jury pool.What process is supposed to screen out potential jurors who have been tainted?

Accepted Answer

Voir dire is the process of questioning potential jurors to determine if they have been influenced by pretrial publicity or other bias. Through this process, attorneys can seek to exclude jurors who may be unable to remain impartial.

Question 8

Included among those who are not covered by statutory exemption from serving on a jury panel are

Accepted Answer

Caregivers are not typically covered by statutory exemptions from serving on a jury panel. Statutory exemptions usually include specific professions that are considered essential for public safety and welfare, such as police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel, but not caregivers.

Question 9

Challenges to jurors that require a justification are called challenges

Accepted Answer

Challenges for cause require a justification from the attorney to the judge as to why they believe the potential juror is biased or cannot be fair in the case. This is different from peremptory challenges, which do not require a justification and allow attorneys to strike potential jurors without cause. Thus, option B is the correct answer.

Question 10

Criminal trials start with two presumptions: the presumption of innocence and the presumption of

Accepted Answer

Criminal trials start with the presumption of innocence and the presumption of sanity, meaning the defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty and sane at the time of the crime unless proven otherwise.

Question 11

Individuals cannot serve on juries in any state if

Accepted Answer

The answer of Individuals cannot serve on juries in any...

Question 12

What is another name for trial juries?

Accepted Answer

Trial juries are also known as petit juries. Grand juries are different from trial juries as they determine whether or not there is enough evidence to bring a case to trial. Bench juries do not exist as it is the judge who presides over a trial, not a jury. Non juries also do not exist as the concept of a jury is fundamental to the justice system in many countries.

Question 13

The minimum size criminal jury approved by the U.S.Supreme Court is

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Supreme Court has approved a minimum size of 6 persons for criminal juries in the case of Williams v. Florida, 399 U.S. 78 (1970), determining that a jury of this size is sufficient to ensure deliberation and reliability in the judicial process.

Question 14

What might happen to a jury if a judge is concerned about publicity in a trial?

Accepted Answer

If a judge is concerned about publicity in a trial, they might order the jury to be sequestered. This means that the jurors will be kept away from any outside influence, including media coverage or conversations with people who are not involved in the trial, in order to ensure an impartial verdict.

Question 15

What type of research do jury consultants use to profile jurors?

Accepted Answer

Jury consultants use social scientific research to profile jurors. This includes research on demographics, attitudes, beliefs, values, and behavior patterns. They use this information to develop a strategy for jury selection and to assess how jurors will react to different arguments and evidence presented in court. Legal research, biological research, and historical research are not typically used for this purpose.

Question 16

A trial before a judge without a jury is called a(n)

Accepted Answer

A trial before a judge without a jury is called a bench trial. In this type of trial, the judge is responsible for deciding the facts and reaching a verdict, rather than a jury.

Question 17

Challenges to jurors that do not require reasons are termed

Accepted Answer

Challenges that do not require reasons are called peremptory challenges. Automatic challenges refer to when a juror is disqualified due to certain circumstances, such as a felony conviction, and ministerial challenges refer to challenges made by court officials rather than parties in the case. Discretionary challenges allow parties to challenge a juror for a specific reason, but they must provide a valid explanation to the judge.

Question 18

In England, the concept of a jury functioning as an impartial fact-finding body was first formalized in 1215 in the

Accepted Answer

The Magna Carta, signed in 1215, formalized the concept of a jury functioning as an impartial fact-finding body in England.

Question 19

Neither prosecutors nor defense attorneys may use peremptory challenges to eliminate potential jurors on the basis of

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court ruled in Batson v. Kentucky (1986) that peremptory challenges cannot be used to discriminate against potential jurors based on their race or sex. This decision was made to ensure a fair and impartial trial for all individuals.

Question 20

What happens immediately prior to a jury beginning deliberations?

Accepted Answer

Prior to beginning deliberations, the judge gives instructions to the jury on how to proceed with their deliberations and how to apply the law to the facts of the case. This is known as the jury charge.

Quiz 13: Trials and Juries