Opinion ID: 2440950
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Failure to Remove Jurors for Cause

Text: For his final point for reversal, Appellant argues that the trial court erred in failing to excuse for cause two potential jurors, Mr. McClanahan and Ms. Peterson. Appellant asserts that the court's failure to excuse those two persons for cause forced him to accept two other jurors that he would have otherwise removed from the panel. During Appellant's voir dire of the potential jurors, Mr. McClanahan indicated that he did not understand why Appellant was not required to prove his claim beyond a reasonable doubt. When asked by Appellee's counsel whether he would listen to the judge's instructions and follow the law as instructed, Mr. McClanahan indicated that he would follow the law. Appellant later moved to strike Mr. McClanahan for cause on the ground that he would hold the Appellant to a higher standard of proof than was required by law. The trial court refused to strike the juror due to the fact that he had indicated that he would follow the law as instructed by the court. The trial court further remarked that it was Mr. McClanahan's first time to sit on any type of jury and that, as such, he was bound to be a little confused as to the law, but no more so than any other new juror. Also during voir dire, Appellant's counsel questioned Ms. Peterson about her work in a medical laboratory in Little Rock, Arkansas. Appellant's counsel inquired as to whether Ms. Peterson worked with any physicians associated with Saline Memorial Hospital, and she indicated that she was not aware of any connection with that hospital. Ms. Peterson apparently did some checking during a break and later reported that one of the doctors that she worked for was on the staff of that hospital. In response to further questioning by Appellant's counsel, Ms. Peterson stated that her working relationship with that doctor would not cause any bias on her part. The trial court denied the motion to excuse Ms. Peterson for cause on the basis that Ms. Peterson had stated unequivocally that her working relationship with that particular doctor would not cause her any problems in hearing the case. The following day, after the jury had been chosen and qualified to hear the case, Appellant moved to complete his motion to excuse jurors McClanahan and Peterson for cause. Appellant argued that because the trial court had refused to strike Mr. McClanahan and Ms. Peterson for cause, Appellant was forced to use two of its three peremptory challenges to remove the jurors and was thus unable to use those challenges on two additional jurors, Mr. Shepard and Mr. Wood. The trial court held that because the jury had already been qualified, it would not entertain Appellant's motion. The record reflects that Mr. Shepard and Mr. Wood sat on the jury and that Appellant exhausted all of his peremptory challenges. Interestingly, the record further reflects that Ms. Peterson also sat on the jury, contrary to Appellant's claim that he had been forced to use one of his peremptory challenges to remove her. To preserve for appeal an objection to an empaneled juror, a party is required to have exhausted his or her peremptory challenges and must show that he or she was forced to accept a juror who should have been excused for cause. Cooper v. State, 324 Ark. 135, 919 S.W.2d 205 (1996). Persons comprising the venire are presumed to be unbiased and qualified to serve, and the burden is on the party challenging a juror to prove actual bias. Id. When a juror states that he or she can lay aside preconceived opinions and give the accused the benefit of all doubts to which he is entitled by law, a trial court may find the juror acceptable. Id. The issue of a juror's qualifications lies within the sound discretion of the trial court and we will not reverse such decision absent an abuse of discretion. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Baysinger, 306 Ark. 239, 812 S.W.2d 463 (1991). In the present case, it is clear that Appellant did not make a motion to have Mr. Shepard or Mr. Wood excused for cause. The only objection to either one of those jurors was made after the jury had already been qualified and seated, and was further not made on the basis that the two jurors should have been struck for cause, only that Appellant would have used his peremptory challenges to remove them from the jury. The trial court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to entertain the late motion or in refusing to excuse the first two jurors for cause, as Appellant failed to demonstrate that they were biased or otherwise unqualified to sit on the jury. Based upon the foregoing reasons, we conclude the trial court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to grant Appellant's motion for new trial and we affirm the judgment in favor of Appellee. Hence, we do not reach the issue on cross-appeal, whether the Boswell firm should have been disqualified from representing Appellant in this matter, as our decision to affirm on appeal renders that issue moot. LEO BUD CARNEY and NORMAN MARK KLAPPENBACH, Special Justices, join in this opinion. GLAZE and THORNTON, JJ., not participating.