Even one unfavorable juror can sway others to vote against you. The prosecution and the defense lawyer will ask each prospective juror about his or her background and views on certain subjects. Sometimes the trial judge will want to conduct the query with input from the plaintiff and defense lawyers. In other situations, the attorneys directly address the potential juror. Voir dire varies from case to case, judge to judge and state to state.
Different states allow different amounts of voir dire questioning.
Lawyers have access only to basic information such as name, occupation, age, education and potential conflicts. You should check with your lawyer about the rules in your state. In states like Massachusetts, lawyers have to make quick decisions about whether a juror would be advantageous to their side without the benefit of more in-depth questioning. In a more typical voir dire, jurors are asked questions that reveal possible prejudice or bias. Sometimes a potential juror's job can create bias.