Opinion ID: 2570523
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Denial of motions to excuse two potential jurors for cause

Text: Collman contends that the district court erred by failing to excuse two potential jurors for cause. Both had read about the case in the newspaper and had heard others talk about it. Collman eventually removed one by peremptory challenge, but the other served on the jury. NRS 175.036(1) permits either party to challenge an individual juror for cause if she could not adjudicate the facts fairly. NRS 16.050(1) lists grounds upon which a juror may be dismissed for cause, including: (f) Having formed or expressed an unqualified opinion or belief as to the merits of the action, or the main question involved therein; but the reading of newspaper accounts of the subject matter before the court shall not disqualify a juror either for bias or opinion. (g) The existence of a state of mind in the juror evincing enmity against or bias to either party. In this case the district court questioned both potential jurors closely, and both consistently informed the court that they could be fair and impartial. The court determined that neither had formed any opinion or had any bias against Collman. We conclude that the court did not err in refusing to excuse either potential juror for cause. Cf. Thompson v. State, 111 Nev. 439, 441-43, 894 P.2d 375, 376-77 (1995); Bryant v. State, 72 Nev. 330, 332-35, 305 P.2d 360, 361-62 (1956).