AB 1766: Examination of prospective jurors.

(1)In civil trials, existing law requires a trial judge to examine prospective jurors, and, upon completion of the judges examination, grants counsel for each party the right to examine, by oral and direct questioning, any prospective juror in order to enable counsel to intelligently exercise peremptory challenges and challenges for cause. Existing law provides that the judge in civil trials should provide the parties with both the alphabetical list and the list of prospective jurors in the order in which they will be called.

This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to these provisions.

(2)Under existing law, which was enacted by initiative measure, in a criminal case, the court is required to conduct the examination of prospective jurors, except that the court may permit the parties, upon a showing of good cause, to conduct a further inquiry. The initiative measure provides that it may be amended by a measure enacted by a ²/₃ vote of each house.

This bill would, until January 1, 2022, in criminal trials, require the court to provide the complete names of prospective jurors to counsel for each party, as specified. The bill would also require the court and counsel for each party to address a prospective juror using a number assigned by the court, by the prospective jurors first name and first initial of his or her last name, or by his or her title and last name, as determined by the court in each criminal trial. The bill would also make nonsubstantive changes to these provisions.