When you take your criminal case to trial, you have a choice between a jury trial or a bench trial. In a bench trial, the judge hears all the evidence and renders a determination as to your guilt. In a jury trial, a jury of your peers will decide your fate. If you choose the latter option, then you’ll have to engage in jury selection, which can make or break your case.
Why jury selection matters
Although jurors are supposed to approach your case from an unbiased perspective, the truth is that each one of them comes to the table with their own lived experiences and biases. If you don’t sift through those perceptions during the jury selection process, then you could wind up with a group of people who are more inclined to find you guilty based on the facts of the crime at hand, your race or your affiliations before any evidence is even presented.
Fortunately, you’ll have the opportunity to question potential jurors and seek to remove them either for cause or, on a more limited basis, without specifying cause. Here, you’ll just have to be careful that you’re not removing jurors for discriminatory purposes. By being engaged in this process, though, you can better ensure that you’re selecting individuals who will truly give you the fair trial that you deserve under the law.
Know how to navigate every aspect of your criminal case
There are a lot of moving parts to a criminal case. You have to be prepared to adequately address each one of them. If you’re not, then you give the prosecution the opening they need to attack your criminal defense and increase their chances of securing a conviction. You don’t want that to happen, which is why now is the time to start building the effective criminal defense strategy needed to protect your interests.