A bill to provide for a demonstration program for voir dire examination in certain criminal cases, and for other purposes.
Criminal Voir Dire Demonstration Act of 1991 - Directs the Judicial Conference of the United States to conduct a four-year demonstration program under which the Director of the Administrative Office of United States Courts shall select four district courts to serve as demonstration districts. Precludes any State from having more than one demonstration district.
Requires each demonstration district to adopt and follow a local rule which requires the court, at the request of the defendant or the Government (except upon an affirmative finding by the court that the interests of justice require otherwise), to permit the defendant or his attorney and the attorney for the Government each a minimum of 30 minutes to conduct an oral examination of the prospective jury.
Specifies that such rule shall: (1) allow additional time for examination by the attorneys at the court's discretion; (2) allow the court to conduct its own examination and to impose reasonable limitations with respect to the questions allowed during such voir dire examination; and (3) allow each side an additional ten minutes for each additional defendant, provided that the total time required shall not exceed one hour per side. Makes decisions made by a court under such rule non-reviewable except for an abuse of discretion.
Directs the Judicial Conference to: (1) study the experience of the district courts under the demonstration program authorized by this Act; and (2) transmit to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees a report on the results of such demonstration program.
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Referred to Subcommittee on Courts and Administrative Practice.
Subcommittee on Courts and Administrative Practice. Approved for full committee consideration without amendment without recommendation.
Committee on Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Committee on Judiciary. Reported to Senate by Senator Biden without amendment. With written report No. 102-142.
Committee on Judiciary. Reported to Senate by Senator Biden without amendment. With written report No. 102-142.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 213.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Received in the House.
Referred to the House Committee on Judiciary.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Intellectual Property and Judicial Administration.
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