In a death penalty case, the number of motions to be presented at a pretrial hearing are too voluminous to list here. A copy of a criminal court motion is delivered to the district attorney, as well as being filed with the court. Voir Dire A defense attorney may ask a paralegal to sit in on jury selection. Both sides will question the potential jurors as to their suitability to serve on the jury. An observant paralegal is helpful to the attorney in noting reactions to questions, observing gestures, and reporting on the demeanor of a potential juror.
Judges determine the amount of time to be allotted for jury selection.
Often, each side is granted one hour. In an attempt to obtain twelve jurors and two alternates, the court grants each side ten peremptory challenges and an unlimited number of challenges for cause. The primary responsibility of the criminal law paralegal during trial is coordination. A typical paralegal duty is to prepare the attorney's trial notebook containing all documents pertaining to the case, including copies of motions. The paralegal may also be asked to arrange for exhibits, draft last-minute motions, and arrange for the testimony of expert witnesses.