Civil Model Jury Charge 1.10H Particularized Questions in NJ

1.10 INSTRUCTIONS TO JURORS BEFORE VOIR DIRE (Approved 11/98) [The following suggested jury instructions are offered as assistance to judges in organizing their communications with juries. The Committee recommends that the judge tailor these instructions to the particular case being tried. In the circumstances presented, some of these suggested instructions should be altered, some should be eliminated. In addition, the format or the order in which these instructions are given to the jury should be the subject of the judges option or discretion in each individual case.] H. Particularized Questions [At this point, the judge should question the jurors about all subjects that might influence their impartiality. The nature of those questions will depend upon the nature and the specific facts of the case to be tried.] [In the event the judge anticipates that some jurors may be asked to answer certain questions at side-bar in the presence of only the judge and the attorneys, the following instruction should be considered.] I may occasionally suggest a conference over here at the side of the Bench because there is a possibility that your comment could influence the other jurors if they heard it. You also might feel more comfortable responding to the questions in some degree of privacy rather than in front of everyone in the courtroom. These conferences will be on the record the same as every other word that is spoken in this courtroom.