Section 16-3.Preliminary Proceedings in Jury Selection

Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026

In one sentenceThis section covers preliminary jury-selection proceedings, requiring prospective jurors to be sworn, counsel to disclose affiliations and witness names, and giving the judicial authority power to excuse any prospective juror for cause.

Full Text of Section 16-3

Text size

The judicial authority shall cause prospective jurors to be sworn or affirmed in accordance with General Statutes §§ 1-23 and 1-25. The judicial authority shall require counsel to make a preliminary statement as to the names of other counsel with whom he or she is affiliated and other relevant facts, and shall require counsel to disclose the names, and if ordered by the judicial authority, the addresses of all witnesses counsel intends to call at trial. The judicial authority may excuse any prospective juror for cause. (See Sec. 303C, P.B. 1978-1997.)

End

Amendment History

(P.B. 1998.)

Plain-English Summary

Before jury selection gets underway, the judicial authority causes prospective jurors to be sworn or affirmed under General Statutes §§ 1-23 and 1-25. The judicial authority also requires counsel to make a preliminary statement identifying other counsel with whom they are affiliated and other relevant facts, and to disclose the names of all witnesses counsel intends to call at trial — and, if the judicial authority so orders, the addresses of those witnesses.

The judicial authority retains the power to excuse any prospective juror for cause during these preliminary proceedings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What must counsel disclose before jury selection begins in Connecticut?

Counsel must state the names of other counsel with whom they are affiliated and other relevant facts, and disclose the names of all witnesses counsel intends to call at trial.

Can the court require witness addresses to be disclosed too?

Yes, if the judicial authority orders it, counsel must disclose the addresses of the witnesses along with their names.

Who administers the oath to prospective jurors?

The judicial authority causes prospective jurors to be sworn or affirmed in accordance with General Statutes §§ 1-23 and 1-25.

Can a prospective juror be excused before formal jury selection starts?

Yes. The judicial authority may excuse any prospective juror for cause during these preliminary proceedings.

Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 16-3). Prescribed by the Judges of the Superior Court of Connecticut (Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 51-14). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 9, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: preliminary jury selection proceedings CTswearing prospective jurors Connecticutcounsel disclosure of witnesses jury selectionexcuse juror for cause preliminary