Supplemental Juror Questionnaires

What are Supplemental Juror Questionnaires—SJQ's?

[Chapter 3: Volume 1 of Jurywork®: Systematic Techniques.]

A Supplemental Juror Questionnaire (SJQ) is a questionnaire which is filled out by potential jurors before jury selection begins. The questionnaire may contain background questions only, or it may have questions about attitudes and experiences that are relevant to the specific case. This type of case-specific supplemental questionnaire is not standardized, and it generally includes both demographic and attitudinal questions.

In some jurisdictions, SJQ's consisting primarily of basic background questions have become a routine part of voir dire. In many jurisdictions, case-specific SJQ's are used in serious criminal cases, selected personal injury and civil rights cases, and complicated civil cases.

Because jury selection varies so much from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, SJQ's come in a variety of lengths and formats. They range from one or two pages to the 75-page questionnaire of over 300 questions used in People v. Simpson. In most instances, they are given to potential jurors on the morning of the trial, but some judges have jurors fill them out the day before jury selection begins or even a week in advance to allow the attorneys and court ample time to review the answers and prepare appropriate follow-up questions. Other judges mail the questionnaires to jurors and distribute copies to the attorneys a number of days before trial.

Supplemental Juror Questionnaires have three basic advantages over oral voir dire alone:

• Efficiency: SJQ's can expedite the jury selection process and reduce wasted time.
• Privacy: SJQ's offer potential jurors the opportunity to convey sensitive information to the court and the attorneys without revealing it to the rest of the jury panel.
• Honesty: The written format encourages more honesty and candor than oral questioning alone.

List of Supplemental Juror Questionnaires Granted

Jury questionnaires are invaluable tools during the voir dire process. National Jury Project collects data about cases and jurisdictions where questionnaires are used. You may attach these lists to a Memorandum in Support of a Motion to Use a Juror Questionnaire as supporting evidence of their widespread use.

Click here for a list of jurisdictions and cases where SJQ's have been approved for use.


Have you had a Supplemental Juror Questionnaire (SJQ) Granted?

Please email dwiley@njp.com with Case Name, Case Number, Year
and Jurisdiction (Federal District and Division, or State and County).