THE COURTS
Title 252--ALLEGHENY COUNTY RULES
ALLEGHENY COUNTY
Rules of Court of Common Pleas; Rules Doc. No. 2 of 1997
[28 Pa.B. 133]
Order of Court And Now, this 23rd day of December, 1997, pursuant to action of the Board of Judges, the following local Rule 220.1 affecting the Civil Division of the Court of Common Pleas is adopted, effective thirty (30) days after publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
By the Court
ROBERT E. DAUER,
President Judge220.1. Voir Dire.
In all civil actions to be tried before a jury, the following questions (except those, which all parties shall agree in advance to strike, as inappropriate for the type of case involved) shall be propounded by an Assignment Room Clerk, in the presence of all counsel, to the members of the panel:
I. TO BE ADDRESSED TO THE GROUP:
1) The attorneys in this lawsuit and their law firms are
__________
ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF
__________
ATTORNEY FOR DEFENDANT
__________
ATTORNEY FOR
__________
ATTORNEY FOR__________
LAW FIRM
__________
LAW FIRM
__________
LAW FIRM
__________
LAW FIRM
Have you had any social, business or professional contact with any of these attorneys or their law firms?
2) The parties in this lawsuit are
__________
__________
__________VS.
__________
__________
__________Do any of you know or have you had any social, business, professional contact or employment with any of the parties, or are any of you stockholders in ______ (name of company(ies)?
3) This lawsuit concerns __________
__________
__________
__________
__________(description which clues the jury panel to the type of case--products, medical, fall down, construction, contract, etc. along with a time period or date and a place if applicable).
Does anyone know anything about this case?
4) Have you or any members of your family ever worked for, been served by, treated by, or had any professional or social association with the following:
(Name all party professionals and experts)
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
k)
l)
m)
II. TO BE ASKED INDIVIDUALLY
We will begin interrogation, juror #1 will you please step forward.
5) Tell us your name and any other name by which you have been known and the area where you live.
6) What is the date and place of your birth?
7) What occupations have you had during your adult life and please name each of your employers? (If unemployed or retired--what was your previous occupation?)
8) What is the extent of your formal education? (If college--what was major)
9) Are you single, married, divorced, separated or widowed?
a) (If married) What is your spouse's name?
b) What occupations has your spouse had and name the different employers of your spouse?
10) Do you have children? If so,
a) How many and what are their ages?
b) (If any child over 18) What occupation(s) have your children had and name the employer(s) each of your children has had?
11) Does anyone else live with you at your home?
If so,
a) What are their names?
b) What occupation(s) has such person had and name the employer(s) of any other person who lives with you? (If any one of them is unemployed or retired, what was their prior occupation?)
12) Do you have brothers and sisters?
If so,
a) What occupations have they had and who were their employers?
13) Have you or any member of your family ever been involved as a party or a witness in a lawsuit or court action?
If so:
a) What was the lawsuit or proceeding about?
b) Were you or your family member the plaintiff or defendant?
c) What was the outcome?
14) Have you ever been a defendant or a witness in a criminal case?
a) How so?
b) What was the outcome of the case?
15) Do either you, any member of your immediate family or anyone with whom you reside have a business relationship, friendship or association with any person who is a law enforcement officer, a judge, a lawyer, or a person who works or is affiliated with the Court system.
a) If so, please explain.
b) Will that influence your judgment in this case so that you may not be able to be fair and impartial?
16) Have either you, your spouse or your parents, children, brothers or sisters ever worked in the insurance industry or have any of you owned stock in an insurance company?
a) If so, please explain.
b) Will that influence your judgment in this case so that you may not be able to be fair and impartial?
17) Are you a licensed driver of a motor vehicle?
18) Do you have any physical or mental condition that might affect your ability to serve as a juror?
a) If so, please explain.
19) Have you heard or read information or advertising on television, radio, or in the newspapers that deals with the subject of lawsuits generally?
a) As a result, do you have an opinion or belief about lawsuits in general?
b) If so, what is that opinion or belief?
c) Will that influence your judgment in this case so that you may not be able to be fair and impartial?
20) This case involves a claim for money damages and is the type commonly called a ______ (products liability; medical malpractice; auto accident; breach of contract, etc.) lawsuit.
a) Do you have an opinion or a belief for or against this type of case or the people who file this type of case, or the persons who are sued in this type case?
b) If so, what is that opinion or belief?
c) Will that influence your judgment in this case so that you may not be able to be fair and impartial?
21) Is there any reason why you feel you cannot serve as a fair and impartial juror in this case.
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 98-49. Filed for public inspection January 9, 1998, 9:00 a.m.]
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