2012 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 51 - Courts
Chapter 884 - Jurors
Section 51-240 - Examination of jurors in civil actions.

(a) In any civil action tried before a jury, either party shall have the right to examine, personally or by his counsel, each juror outside the presence of other prospective jurors as to his qualifications to sit as a juror in the action, or as to his interest, if any, in the subject matter of the action, or as to his relations with the parties thereto.

(b) If the judge before whom the examination is held is of the opinion from the examination that any juror would be unable to render a fair and impartial verdict, the juror shall be excused by the judge from any further service upon the panel, or in the action, as the judge determines.

(c) The right of examination shall not be abridged by requiring questions to be put to any juror in writing and submitted in advance of the commencement of the action.

(1949 Rev., S. 7908; 1967, P.A. 847; P.A. 77-255; P.A. 80-313, S. 55; P.A. 82-248, S. 129.)

History: 1967 act replaced “may examine” with “shall have the right to examine personally or by his counsel” and added provision prohibiting abridgment of examination right by requiring that questions be put to juror in writing and submitted in advance of commencement of action; P.A. 77-255 required that examination be made “outside the presence of other prospective jurors”; P.A. 80-313 removed criminal actions from purview of section and made minor changes in wording, i.e. substituting “the” for “such”, etc.; P.A. 82-248 inserted Subsec. indicators and made minor technical changes to Subsec. (c).

See Sec. 54-82f re voir dire examination.

Court did not improperly compel plaintiff to attend jury selection. 108 CA 156.

Cited. 33 CS 599.

Defendant in bastardy proceeding has absolute right to voir dire and did not waive it by proceeding to trial after his objection was overruled. 4 Conn. Cir. Ct. 639.

Subsec. (b):

Cited. 2 CA 58.