Opinion ID: 2123466
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: issues

Text: Defendant asserts that the trial court erred when it unduly restricted his voir dire examination of prospective jurors. He argues that, because of a twenty minute time limitation, he had inadequate time to question one juror and no time to question an alternate juror. The record provided by defendant contains only a superficial treatment of the voir dire examination conducted by the trial court, State, and defendant. The record does not reveal that a time limit was actually imposed, that the defendant objected to such a limitation, if imposed, or that he requested additional time. We are unable to determine from the record, whether or not the defendant was permitted to supplement his direct voir dire interrogation with questions submitted through the trial judge. It is defendant's duty to present us with an adequate record. Error alleged but not disclosed by the record is not a proper subject for review. See Issue III. We have encouraged trial judges to take a greater role in voir dire interrogation of prospective jurors, both in the interest of conserving judicial time and to thwart attempts to brain-wash. Robinson v. State, (1973) 260 Ind. 517, 297 N.E.2d 409. In Hart v. State, (1976) 265 Ind. 145, 352 N.E.2d 712, we approved a procedure whereby the trial judge conducted the interrogation sua sponte and from written questions submitted through the judge and then permitted each side a brief period (twenty minutes) in which to question the panel orally. In that opinion, we pointed out that in White v. State, (1975) 263 Ind. 302, 330 N.E.2d 84, we upheld the trial court's action in permitting the parties to supplement the court's questioning only by submitting written questions for the consideration of the court, and said,  A fortiori, this trial court's rule limiting counsel to twenty minutes of oral questioning is not, on its face, and without more, an abuse of the court's discretion. We endorse the procedure employed in the Hart case. Of necessity no hard and fast rule can be laid down to control the number of questions that can be submitted or the precise time permitted for oral interrogation by counsel. Due process requires a fair opportunity to discover existing grounds for challenge, both for cause and peremptorily, but no more. As in other such cases, the trial judge rightfully has broad discretion in determining when such requirement has been afforded. We will disturb that determination only upon a record clearly reflecting an abuse of that discretion.