Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_10-cv-01173/USCOURTS-azd-2_10-cv-01173-4/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Margaret Dominguez, individually and on

behalf of S.D., a minor child, 

Plaintiffs, 

vs.

Andrew Shaw; Kreg Klein; Alfonso

Flores; Johnathon Conn; City of Phoenix;

Unknown Denny, 

Defendants. 

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CV 10-01173-PHX-FJM

ORDER

The court has before it the parties' joint motion to use a confidential jury questionnaire

to conduct juror voir dire (doc. 73).

This action arises out of plaintiffs' arrests by the defendant officers. Trial is set to

begin on March 20, 2012. The parties ask that we create and distribute a confidential jury

questionnaire in advance of jury selection to conduct voir dire. They believe that use of a

questionnaire will assist in making voir dire efficient and will encourage more candid

reactions from potential jurors concerning police officers and those convicted of crimes. We

appreciate and share in the parties' desire for efficient and informative voir dire proceedings.

However, we do not see a need to depart from our usual voir dire practice by utilizing a

questionnaire that would need to be drafted, disseminated, and reviewed prior to the start of

Case 2:10-cv-01173-FJM Document 74 Filed 01/18/12 Page 1 of 2
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voir dire proceedings. Our experience in most cases - including those involving allegations

against police officers - is that voir dire can be efficiently conducted and completed within

a few hours. And we have not found that hearing potential jurors answering questions in

open court has tainted other potential jurors. The burden of using a questionnaire outweighs

the benefits in all but the most unusual case.

As detailed in our Rule 16 order (doc. 22), the parties may submit proposed casespecific voir dire questions when submitting their joint proposed pre-trial order. We will

review these submissions and will discuss our voir dire practice at the final pretrial

conference. 

IT IS ORDERED DENYING the parties' joint motion to use a confidential jury

questionnaire to conduct juror voir dire (doc. 73).

DATED this 17th day of January, 2012.

Case 2:10-cv-01173-FJM Document 74 Filed 01/18/12 Page 2 of 2