Subd. 1. Jury List. The jury list must be composed of persons randomly selected from a fair cross-section of qualified county residents. The jury must be drawn from the jury list.
Subd. 2. Juror Information.
(1) Jury Panel List. Unless the court orders otherwise after a hearing, the court administrator must furnish to any party upon request, a list of persons on the jury panel, including name, city as reported on the juror questionnaire, occupation, education, children's ages, spouse's occupation, birth date, reported race and whether or not of Hispanic origin, gender, and marital status.(2) Anonymous Jurors. On any party's motion, the court may restrict access to prospective and selected jurors' names, addresses, and other identifying information if a strong reason exists to believe that the jury needs protection from external threats to its members' safety or impartiality. The court must hold a hearing on the motion and make detailed findings of fact supporting its decision to restrict access to juror information.
The findings of fact must be made in writing or on the record in open court. If ordered, jurors may be identified by number or other means to protect their identity. The court may restrict access to juror identity as long as necessary to protect the jurors. The court must minimize any prejudice the restriction has on the parties.
(3) Jury Questionnaire. On the request of a party or on its own initiative, the court may order use of a jury questionnaire as a supplement to voir dire. The questionnaire must be approved by the court. The court must tell prospective jurors that if sensitive or embarrassing questions are included on the questionnaire, instead of answering any particular questions in writing they may request an opportunity to address the court in camera, with counsel and the defendant present, concerning their desire that the answers not be public. When a prospective juror asks to address the court in camera, the court must proceed under Rule 26.02, subd. 4(4) and decide whether the particular questions may be answered during oral voir dire with the public excluded. The court must make the completed questionnaires available to counsel. Subd. 3. Challenge to Panel. Any party may challenge the jury panel if a material departure from law has occurred in drawing or summoning jurors. The challenge must be made in writing and before the court swears in the jury. The challenge must specify grounds. The court must conduct a hearing to determine the sufficiency of the challenge.
Subd. 4. Voir Dire Examination.
(1) Purpose--How Made. The court must allow the parties to conduct voir dire examination to discover grounds for challenges for cause and to assist in the exercise of peremptory challenges. The examination must be open to the public unless otherwise ordered under Rule 26.02, subd. 4(4). The court must begin by identifying the parties and their respective counsel and by outlining the nature of the case. The court must question jurors about their qualifications to serve and may give the preliminary instructions in Rule 26.03, subd. 4. A verbatim record of the voir dire examination must be made at any party's request.(2) Sequestration of Jurors. (a) Court's Discretion. The court may order that the examination of each juror take place outside of the presence of other chosen and prospective jurors.(b) Prejudicial Publicity. Whenever a significant possibility exists of exposure to prejudicial material, the examination of each juror with respect to the juror's exposure must take place outside the presence of other prospective and selected jurors.(3) Order of Drawing, Examination, and Challenge.(a) Jury Selection Methods. Three methods exist for selecting a jury: (i) the preferred method found in paragraph (b), in which the parties make peremptory challenges at the end of voir dire;(ii) the alternate method found in paragraph (c), in which a party exercises any peremptory challenge after questioning the prospective juror;(iii) the preferred method for first-degree murder cases found in paragraph (d), in which each party questions the prospective juror out of the hearing of the other prospective and selected jurors.(b) Preferred Method; Cases Other Than First-Degree Murder. (i) The court must draw prospective jurors comprising the number of jurors required, the number of peremptory challenges, and the number of alternates.(ii) The prospective jurors must take their place in the jury box and be sworn in.(iii) The prospective jurors must be examined, first by the court, then by the parties, commencing with the defendant.(iv) A challenge for cause may be made at any time during voir dire by any party. At the close of voir dire any additional challenges for cause must be made, first by the defense and then by the prosecutor.(v) When the court excuses a prospective juror for cause, another must be drawn so that the number in the jury box remains the same as the number initially called.(vi) After all challenges for cause have been made, the parties may alternately exercise peremptory challenges, starting with the defendant.(vii) The jury consists of the remaining panel members in the order they were called.(c) Alternate Method; Cases Other Than First-Degree Murder. (i) The court must draw prospective jurors comprising the total of the number of jurors required and the number of alternates.(ii) The prospective jurors must take their place in the jury box and be sworn in.(iii) The prospective jurors must be examined, first by the court, then by the parties, commencing with the defendant.(iv) On completion of the defendant's examination of a prospective juror, the defendant must be permitted to exercise a challenge for cause or a peremptory challenge.(v) On completion of the defendant's examination and any challenge of a prospective juror, the prosecutor may examine the prospective juror and may exercise a challenge for cause or a peremptory challenge.(vi) An excused prospective juror must be replaced by another. The replacement must be examined and challenged after all previously drawn jurors have been examined and challenged.(viii) This process continues until the number of persons who will constitute the jury, including the alternates, have been selected.(d) Preferred Method; First-Degree Murder Cases. (i) The court must direct that one prospective juror at a time be drawn from the jury panel for examination.(ii) The prospective juror must be sworn in.(iii) The prospective juror must be examined, first by the court, then by the parties, commencing with the defendant.(iv) On completion of defendant's examination, the defendant may exercise a challenge for cause or peremptory challenge.(v) A prospective juror who is not excused after examination by the defendant may be examined by the state. The state may exercise a challenge for cause or peremptory challenge.(vi) This process must continue until the number of jurors equals the number required plus alternates.(4) Exclusion of the Public From Voir Dire. In those rare cases where it is necessary, the following rules govern orders excluding the public from any part of voir dire or restricting access to the orders or to transcripts of the closed proceeding. (a) Advisory. When it appears prospective jurors may be asked sensitive or embarrassing questions during voir dire, the court may on its own initiative or on request of either party, advise the prospective jurors that they may request an opportunity to address the court in camera, with counsel and defendant present, concerning their desire to exclude the public from voir dire when the sensitive or embarrassing questions are asked.(b) In Camera Hearing. If a prospective juror requests an opportunity to address the court in camera during sensitive or embarrassing questioning, the request must be granted. The hearing must be on the record with counsel and the defendant present.(c) Standards. In considering the request to exclude the public during voir dire, the court must balance the juror's privacy interests, the defendant's right to a fair and public trial, and the public's interest in access to the courts. The court may order voir dire closed only if it finds a substantial likelihood that conducting voir dire in open court would interfere with an overriding interest, including the defendant's right to a fair trial and the juror's legitimate privacy interests in not disclosing deeply personal matters to the public. The court must consider alternatives to closure. Any closure must be no broader than necessary to protect the overriding interest.(d) Refusal to Close Voir Dire. If the court determines no overriding interest exists to justify excluding the public from voir dire, the voir dire must continue in open court on the record.(e) Closure of Voir Dire. If the court determines that an overriding interest justifies closure of any part of voir dire, that part of voir dire must be conducted in camera on the record with counsel and the defendant present.(f) Findings of Fact. Any order excluding the public from a part of voir dire must be issued in writing or on the record. The court must set forth the reasons for the order, including findings as to why the defendant's right to a fair trial and the jurors' interests in privacy would be threatened by an open voir dire. The order must address any possible alternatives to closure and explain why the alternatives are inadequate.(g) Record. A complete record of the in camera proceedings must be made. On request, the record must be transcribed within a reasonable time and filed with the court administrator. The transcript must be publicly available, but only if disclosure can be accomplished while safeguarding the overriding interests involved. The court may order the transcript or any part of it sealed, the name of a juror withheld, or parts of the transcript excised if the court finds these actions necessary to protect the overriding interest that justified closure. Subd. 5. Challenge for Cause.
(1) Grounds. A juror may be challenged for cause on these grounds: 1. The juror's state of mind - in reference to the case or to either party - satisfies the court that the juror cannot try the case impartially and without prejudice to the substantial rights of the challenging party.2. A felony conviction unless the juror's civil rights have been restored.3. The lack of any qualification prescribed by law.4. A physical or mental disability that renders the juror incapable of performing the duties of a juror.5. The consanguinity or affinity, within the ninth degree, to the person alleged to be injured by the offense charged, or to the person on whose complaint the prosecution was instituted, or to the defendant, or to any of the attorneys in the case.6. Standing as a guardian, ward, attorney, client, employer, employee, landlord, tenant, family member of the defendant, or person alleged to have been injured by the offense, or whose complaint instituted the prosecution.7. Being a party adverse to the defendant in a civil action, or a party who complained against the defendant, or whom the defendant accused, in a criminal prosecution.8. Service on the grand jury that found the indictment or an indictment on a related offense.9. Service on a trial jury that tried another person for the same or a related offense as the pending charge.10. Service on any jury previously sworn to try the pending charge.11. Service as a juror in any case involving the defendant.(2) How and When Exercised. A challenge for cause may be oral and must state grounds. The challenge must be made before the juror is sworn to try the case, but the court for good cause may permit it to be made after the juror is sworn but before all the jurors constituting the jury are sworn. If the court sustains a challenge for cause, the juror must be excused.(3) By Whom Tried. If a party objects to the challenge for cause, the court must determine the challenge. Subd. 6. Peremptory Challenges. In cases punishable by life imprisonment the defendant has 15 peremptory challenges and the prosecutor has 9. For any other offense, the defendant has 5 peremptory challenges and the prosecutor has 3. In cases with more than one defendant, the court may allow the defendants additional peremptory challenges and permit them to be exercised separately or jointly. The prosecutor's peremptory challenges must be correspondingly increased. All peremptory challenges must be exercised out of the hearing of the jury panel.
Subd. 7. Objections to Peremptory Challenges.
(1) Rule. No party may purposefully discriminate on the basis of race or gender in the exercise of peremptory challenges.(2) Procedure. Any party, or the court, at any time before the jury is sworn, may object to a peremptory challenge on the ground of purposeful racial or gender discrimination. The objection and all arguments must be made out of the hearing of all prospective or selected jurors. All proceedings on the objection must be on the record. The objection must be determined by the court as promptly as possible, and must be decided before the jury is sworn.(3) Determination. The trial court must use a three-step process for determining whether a party purposefully discriminated on the basis of race or gender:(a) First, the party making the objection must make a prima facie showing that the responding party exercised its peremptory challenges on the basis of race or gender. If the court raised the objection, the court must determine, after any hearing it deems appropriate, whether a prima facie showing exists. If no prima facie showing is found, the objection must be overruled.(b) Second, if the prima facie showing has been made, the responding party must articulate a race- or gender-neutral explanation for exercising the peremptory challenge(s). If the responding party fails to articulate a race- or gender-neutral explanation, the objection must be sustained.(c) Third, if the court determines that a race- or gender-neutral explanation has been articulated, the objecting party must prove that the explanation is pretextual. If the court initially raised the objection, it must determine, after any hearing it deems appropriate, whether the party exercised the peremptory challenge in a purposefully discriminatory manner on the basis of race or gender. If purposeful discrimination is proved, the objection must be sustained; otherwise the objection must be overruled.(4) Remedies. If the court overrules the objection, the prospective juror must be excused. If the court sustains the objection, the court must - based upon its determination of what the interests of justice and a fair trial to all parties in the case require - either: (a) Disallow the discriminatory peremptory challenge and resume jury selection with the challenged prospective juror reinstated on the panel; or(b) Discharge the entire jury panel and select a new jury from a jury panel not previously associated with the case. Subd. 8. Order of Challenges. Challenges must be made in the following order:
b. To an individual prospective juror for cause, except that under subd. 5(2) a challenge for cause may be made at any time before a jury is sworn.c. Peremptory challenge to an individual prospective juror.Subd. 9. Alternate Jurors. The court may impanel alternate jurors. An alternate juror who does not replace a principal juror must be discharged when the jury retires to consider its verdict. If a juror becomes unable to serve, an alternate juror must replace that juror. Alternate jurors replace jurors in the order the alternates were drawn. No additional peremptory challenges are allowed for alternate jurors. If a juror becomes unable or disqualified to perform a juror's duties after the jury has retired to consider its verdict, a mistrial must be declared unless the parties agree under Rule 26.01, subd. 1(4) that the jury consist of a lesser number than that selected for the trial.
Amended effective 9/1/2011.