A bench trial is a trial decided by a judge alone, without a jury. A jury trial is decided by a panel of citizens. The choice between them — where one exists — is among the most consequential strategic decisions in litigation, with implications that reach from legal theory to psychology to the specific facts of the case. What They Are In a jury trial, the jury is the finder of fact.

A motion in limine is a pretrial request asking the court to rule on the admissibility of specific evidence before it is presented at trial. The goal is to prevent the jury from hearing evidence that the moving party believes is improper — and to avoid the prejudice that comes from a jury hearing something it is then told to disregard. What It Is Trials proceed under rules of evidence that determine what a jury can and cannot hear.

Voir dire is the process by which attorneys and judges question prospective jurors before a trial to assess their suitability to serve. It is also used, less commonly, to describe a preliminary examination of a witness or expert to determine competency. The term is older than the American legal system and considerably more interesting than most jury selection coverage suggests. What It Is Before a jury trial begins, a pool of prospective jurors — the venire — is summoned to the courthouse.