A prime concern in DUI cases is the potential for juror bias. Your Michigan DUI attorney can help minimize the possibility that jurors will hear the evidence in your case with preconceptions by asking pointed questions during jury selection.
While alcohol consumption is still a mainstay of many social gatherings and events, individuals who hold very strong, negative feelings toward drinking will likely exclude alcohol. Your Michigan DUI attorney can get a fair sense of juror attitudes by asking questions regarding whether they serve alcohol at family parties. If a juror held a wedding reception for a marrying son or daughter, your attorney can ask if alcohol was served.
The type of alcohol kept and served at home can shed light on a prospective juror’s attitudes as well. Many people will drink a glass of wine after dinner but abstain from hard alcohol. If on the other hand, the individual keeps a stocked bar at home, she is not as likely to hold a strong bias against alcohol consumption.
Your Michigan DUI attorney can ask whether the juror has ever driven home after drinking, too. The juror’s answer can tell a lot about her attitude about drinking. If she believed it was safe to drive and arrived home safely, this suggests a lack of bias. Even the juror’s body language can be telling with this question. She might shake her head determinedly and exclaim, “No. Never would I drive after having even one drink!”
If juror questioning reveals that a particular individual never drinks, however, this does not necessarily mean she is biased against alcohol consumption. Many people abstain for medical reasons.
Asking the right questions can help prevent biased jurors from being seated in your DUI case. If you need legal representation, contact Michigan DUI attorney, Chris Trainor, for a review of your case.