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Criminal Law
Is Jury Selection an Important Factor in Your Criminal Defense Case? PDF Print E-mail
Written by Legal Intern   
Thursday, 18 February 2010 18:58
If someone in Oklahoma has been arrested and charged with a crime, the process of government begins to move forward.  Ultimately, if no plea agreement can be reached, the criminal case will go to trial.  While many people think of a trial as the presentation of evidence and the questioning of witnesses that winds up with an argument to the jury, many overlook one of the most critical aspects of any criminal law case - jury selection.  Below are a few reasons why jury selection is an extremely important factor in your criminal defense case, and why you will need the help of an Oklahoma criminal defense lawyer.

 

Oklahoma Criminal Defense and Jury Selection - Finding Your Peers

When an Oklahoma criminal defense attorney engages in the process that's known as voire dire, which is the legal term for jury selection, he or she needs to make every effort to fill the jury panel with those people who tend to see the situation from a perspective that's as similar to yours as possible.  Several different factors must be thought of and explored when a potential juror is questioned, including the person's socio-economic background, any experiences he or she has that could be relevant in how that juror would view the evidence that will be presented at trial and finding jurors who are likely to keep an open mind as the trial progresses.

Oklahoma Criminal Defense Case Jury Selection - Eliminating Potential Problems

In addition to working to find jurors that are more likely to see things from your perspective than from a differing point of view, an Oklahoma criminal defense attorney who has the skill necessary to handle this process will also work to eliminate those who may be predisposed to view alleged crimes and their commission as likely to have happened.  Even though everyone understands that criminal defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty, human nature can override this norm even when a person does not realize it.  Oklahoma criminal defense attorneys can challenge certain prospective jurors' inclusion in the trial, and those challenges need to be used wisely.

Overall, the jury selection process may not only be critical to your Oklahoma criminal defense case, but some feel that many cases are won and lost during this process.  The logic is relatively simple - the ultimate verdict is reached by people, and the types of people sitting on a jury will go a long way towards determining how and what decision is reached.  Rather than attempt to handle this highly technical and strategic process yourself, you need to make sure you do everything possible to build a jury that provides you with the opportunity to fairly present your defense.  Contact an Oklahoma criminal defense attorney at Atkins & Markoff today to schedule an initial consultation.

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