Sup. Ct. R. D.C. 47

As amended through October 11, 2024

Rule 47 - Selecting Jurors

(a) EXAMINING JURORS. The court may permit the parties or their attorneys to examine prospective jurors or may itself do so. If the court examines the jurors, it must permit the parties or their attorneys to make any further inquiry it considers proper, or must itself ask any of their additional questions it considers proper.

(b) PEREMPTORY CHALLENGES. The court must allow each party to exercise 3 peremptory challenges. Several defendants or several plaintiffs may be considered as a single party for the purposes of making challenges, or the court may allow additional peremptory challenges and permit them to be exercised separately or jointly. All challenges for cause or favor, whether to the array or panel or to individual jurors, must be determined by the court.

(c) EXCUSING A JUROR. During trial or deliberation, the court may excuse a juror for good cause.

Sup. Ct. R. D.C. 47

COMMENT TO 2017 AMENDMENTS

This rule is substantially similar to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 47, as amended in 2007, except that section (b) includes language from 28 U.S.C. § 1870 instead of just a reference to the statute.

COMMENT

Identical to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 47.