Rule 234.Voir Dire Examination of Jurors and Cautionary Instructions
Article II. Rules on Civil Proceedings in the Trial Court · Part F. Trials · Last amended 1997 · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceRule 234 puts the judge in charge of questioning prospective jurors about their fitness to serve, while letting the parties supplement that questioning within reasonable limits.
Full Text of Ill. S. Ct. R. 234
Text size
The court shall conduct the voir dire examination of prospective jurors by putting to them
questions it thinks appropriate touching upon their qualifications to serve as jurors in the case on trial. The court may permit the parties to submit additional questions to it for further inquiry if it thinks they are appropriate, and shall permit the parties to supplement the examination by such direct inquiry as the court deems proper for a reasonable period of time depending upon the length of examination by the court, the complexity of the case, and the nature and extent of the damages. Questions shall not directly or indirectly concern matters of law or instructions. The court shall acquaint prospective jurors with the general duties and responsibilities of jurors.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 234 governs voir dire, the process of questioning people called for jury duty. The judge asks the questions needed to judge whether a prospective juror can serve without bias on the case at hand. The judge may also let the parties submit their own questions for the judge to ask. Separately, the judge must let the parties supplement that questioning with direct inquiry of their own, for whatever reasonable period the case calls for.
How long that direct questioning runs depends on the case: its complexity, the length of the court’s own examination, and the size of the damages at stake. Questions cannot probe the law or the instructions the jury will later receive. And before the trial begins, the judge must explain to the prospective jurors what jury service generally involves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who questions prospective jurors under Rule 234?
The judge conducts the primary questioning, and must let the parties supplement it with direct questions of their own for a reasonable period the court sets.
Can lawyers ask jurors about the law that applies to the case?
No. Questions cannot touch, directly or indirectly, on matters of law or the instructions the jury will receive.
How much time do lawyers get to question jurors directly?
A reasonable amount, which the court sets based on how long its own examination ran, how complex the case is, and the extent of damages claimed.
Does the judge have to explain jury duty to the panel?
Yes, the judge must acquaint prospective jurors with the general duties and responsibilities of serving on a jury.
Can the parties submit written questions instead of asking directly?
Yes, the court may permit the parties to submit additional questions for the judge to ask instead of, or along with, direct examination.
Committee Comments
(Revised July 1, 1975)
Rule 234 was amended in 1975 to emphasize the duty of the judge to manage the voir dire examination. Under the rule as amended the judge must put to the prospective jurors such questions as he thinks necessary and then may either permit the attorneys or the parties to supplement the examination by putting questions directly to the prospective jurors or may require them to submit the questions to him, in which event he will put such of the questions submitted as he thinks proper.
Amendment History
Amended effective July 1, 1975; amended August 9, 1983, effective October 1, 1983; amended April 3, 1997, effective May 1, 1997.
Source & verification. Rule text, official Committee Comments, and
amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Supreme Court Rules,
promulgated by the Supreme Court of Illinois. Last verified July 20, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as:voir direjury selection questionsquestioning prospective jurorsjury qualificationjuror screening