A juror may be challenged for cause based upon any of the following:
Art. 1765.Challenges For Cause
Book II. Ordinary Proceedings · Title V. Trial · Chapter 7. Jury Trial · Amendment history unavailable · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 1765 lists five grounds for challenging a prospective juror for cause: lacking a legal qualification, having formed an opinion or otherwise lacking impartiality, having a relationship with a party or attorney likely to influence the verdict, having served on an earlier jury that tried the same case or facts, or refusing to answer a voir dire question on self-incrimination grounds.
Full Text of Art. 1765
(1) When the juror lacks a qualification required by law;
(2) When the juror has formed an opinion in the case or is not otherwise impartial, the cause of his bias being immaterial;
(3) When the relations whether by blood, marriage, employment, friendship, or enmity between the juror and any party or his attorney are such that it must be reasonably believed that they would influence the juror in coming to a verdict;
(4) When the juror served on a previous jury, which tried the same case or one arising out of the same facts;
(5) When the juror refuses to answer a question on the voir dire examination on the ground that his answer might tend to incriminate him.
Plain-English Summary
A challenge for cause asks the court to excuse a prospective juror for a specific, identified reason, rather than using up one of the limited peremptory challenges under Article 1764. Article 1765 lists the grounds: the juror lacks a qualification the law requires; the juror has formed an opinion about the case or is otherwise not impartial, whatever the source of that bias; the juror's relationship with a party or attorney — by blood, marriage, employment, friendship, or enmity — is close enough that it could reasonably be expected to sway a verdict; the juror already sat on a jury that tried the same case or one arising from the same facts; or the juror refuses to answer a voir dire question on the ground that answering might incriminate them.
Unlike peremptory challenges, which Article 1764 caps at a fixed number per side, Article 1765 sets no limit on how many jurors a party may challenge for cause. Each challenge has to fit one of the five listed grounds, leaving the number of successful for-cause challenges to depend on how many prospective jurors meet one of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a limit to how many jurors can be challenged for cause?
No express limit. Unlike the fixed number of peremptory challenges under Article 1764, Article 1765 does not cap challenges for cause.
What relationships support a for-cause challenge?
Blood, marriage, employment, friendship, or enmity between the juror and a party or attorney, where that relationship could reasonably be expected to influence the verdict.
Can a juror be excused for having already decided the case?
Yes. Forming an opinion about the case or otherwise lacking impartiality is grounds for cause, regardless of what caused the bias.
What if a juror already sat on a related earlier case?
That is grounds for cause if the juror served on a jury that tried the same case or one arising out of the same facts.
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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