The correct spelling of the phrase "struck jury" is actually "struck jury". The word "struck" is the past tense of "strike" and is pronounced as /strʌk/, while "jury" refers to a group of people selected to listen to evidence and make a decision in a legal case, pronounced as /ˈdʒʊəri/. Together, the phrase is pronounced as /strʌk ˈdʒʊəri/. The word "struck" may be confused with "stricken", which means affected by an unpleasant or negative condition, but this is not the correct spelling.
A struck jury refers to a type of jury selection process where potential jurors are initially chosen by the court, and then both parties involved in a trial are provided the opportunity to eliminate or "strike" individuals from the pool until the desired number of jurors remains. This method aims to ensure a fair and impartial jury by allowing both the prosecution and the defense to exclude potential jurors they feel may not be suitable for various reasons.
Typically, the process begins with the court randomly selecting a group of potential jurors from the general population. Once the pool is established, both parties have the chance to question the individuals in order to gain information about their background, opinions, biases, or any circumstances that may impact their ability to serve as an unbiased juror. Following this initial questioning, each side then has the opportunity to strike a certain number of jurors.
The striking process can happen in different ways. For instance, it could involve each party taking turns eliminating one juror at a time, or it may be carried out in a more strategic manner where each side is given a specific number of strikes to use as they see fit. Once the specified number of potential jurors is reached, the remaining individuals become the final jury panel responsible for deciding the outcome of the case.
The struck jury method serves to ensure a fair trial by providing both prosecution and defense an opportunity to exclude potential jurors they believe may have biases or prejudices that could influence their judgment in the case at hand. By allowing both sides equal input, the system aims to create a balanced and impartial jury panel, offering greater confidence in the fairness of the trial process.