A. The court shall examine prospective jurors as to their qualifications and may conduct such further examination as it deems appropriate. B. The parties or their attorneys shall individually conduct such examination of prospective jurors as each party deems necessary, but the court may control the scope of the examination to be conducted by the parties or their attorneys.
Art. 1763.Examination of Juror
Book II. Ordinary Proceedings · Title V. Trial · Chapter 7. Jury Trial · Last amended 1990 · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 1763 splits voir dire responsibility between the judge, who examines prospective jurors on their basic qualifications and may go further, and the parties' attorneys, who conduct their own examination subject to the court's control over its scope.
Full Text of Art. 1763
Amendment History
Acts 1983, No. 534, §5; Acts 1990, No. 603, §1.
Plain-English Summary
Voir dire in a Louisiana civil case is not the exclusive territory of either the bench or the bar. Article 1763 gives the court the first pass: it examines prospective jurors on their qualifications and may conduct whatever further examination it considers appropriate.
After the court's examination, each party's attorney conducts an individual examination of the prospective jurors, to whatever extent that party considers necessary. That is not unlimited, though — the court retains authority to control the scope of the examination the parties or their attorneys conduct, keeping voir dire from running longer or ranging wider than the case calls for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who questions prospective jurors in Louisiana, the judge or the attorneys?
Both. The court examines on qualifications and may go further, and each party's attorney then conducts its own examination.
Can the judge limit how attorneys question prospective jurors?
Yes. Article 1763(B) gives the court control over the scope of the examination the parties and their attorneys conduct.
Is voir dire conducted for each party separately?
Yes, each party individually conducts the examination it deems necessary, rather than sharing a single joint examination.
Source & verification. Article text is reproduced verbatim from
the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure (legis.la.gov). Enacted by the Louisiana Legislature.
Last verified July 30, 2026.
· Official source
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