Venire is a Latin term which means “to come.” It is most often used in legal contexts, where it typically refers to a group of people summoned to appear in court. In this context, it is the process of summoning jurors to be available for selection.
How Venire Works in a Modern Courtroom
When calling a venire, a jury commissioner contacts potential jurors and requests their presence in court. On the day of the jury selection process, or ‘voir dire’, the venire members are sworn in and given questionnaires. The questions usually ask for background information and determine the prospective juror’s qualifications.
The prosecutors and defence attorneys also examine the venire panel one-by-one and ask questions which explore each potential juror’s biases, beliefs, experiences, and feelings about the specific case being heard. After the examination, each side can agree to accept a given venire member, or challenge their selection.
Why Is Venire Used?
Venire is used to ensure a fair criminal trial process. It allows potential jurors to be fully vetted to make sure the jury selected is unbiased and suited for the case. This ensures that the jury is chosen from a large, diverse pool of people, which minimizes the risk of selection bias or conflict of interest.