The court shall conduct the voir dire examination of prospective jurors by putting to them questions it thinks appropriate touching upon their qualifications to serve as jurors in the case on trial. The court may permit the parties to submit additional questions to it for further inquiry if it thinks they are appropriate, and shall permit the parties to supplement the examination by such direct inquiry as the court deems proper for a reasonable period of time depending upon the length of examination by the court, the complexity of the case, and the nature and extent of the damages. Questions shall not directly or indirectly concern matters of law or instructions. The court shall acquaint prospective jurors with the general duties and responsibilities of jurors.
Amended effective July 1, 1975; amended August 9, 1983, effective October 1, 1983; amended April 3, 1997, effective May 1, 1997.
Committee Comments
(Revised July 1, 1975)
Rule 234 was amended in 1975 to emphasize the duty of the judge to manage the voir dire examination. Under the rule as amended the judge must put to the prospective jurors such questions as he thinks necessary and then may either permit the attorneys or the parties to supplement the examination by putting questions directly to the prospective jurors or may require them to submit the questions to him, in which event he will put such of the questions submitted as he thinks proper.