In 2016, the Legislature passed G.L. c. 234A, §67D, establishing a right to attorney-conducted voir dire in Superior Court jury trials. Practice under the statute and resulting Superior Court Rules has varied among judges and evolved slowly due to interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to differences in jury selection procedures.
Jury selection is a critical part of a trial. Asking questions intended to help you select a fair and impartial jury is essential, yet the courts and Massachusetts practitioners are relatively inexperienced with attorney-conducted voir dire.
Join our experienced trial attorneys as we examine the brief history and current trends in Massachusetts jury selection practice. The expert faculty reviews what we are trying to accomplish with voir dire and where we need to go from here.