Rule 24 — Trial Jurors

Fed. R. Crim. P. 24

• Source: Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure
• Rule: 24
• TITLE VI: TRIAL
• Citation: Fed. R. Crim. P. 24

Text

(a) Examination.
(1) In General. The court may examine prospective jurors or
may permit the attorneys for the parties to do so.
(2) Court Examination. If the court examines the jurors, it
must permit the attorneys for the parties to:
(A) ask further questions that the court considers prop-
er; or
(B) submit further questions that the court may ask if it
considers them proper.
(b) Peremptory Challenges. Each side is entitled to the number
of peremptory challenges to prospective jurors specified below.
The court may allow additional peremptory challenges to mul-
tiple defendants, and may allow the defendants to exercise those
challenges separately or jointly.
(1) Capital Case. Each side has 20 peremptory challenges
when the government seeks the death penalty.
(2) Other Felony Case. The government has 6 peremptory
challenges and the defendant or defendants jointly have 10 pe-
remptory challenges when the defendant is charged with a
crime punishable by imprisonment of more than one year.
(3) Misdemeanor Case. Each side has 3 peremptory challenges
when the defendant is charged with a crime punishable by
fine, imprisonment of one year or less, or both.
(c) Alternate Jurors.
(1) In General. The court may impanel up to 6 alternate ju-
rors to replace any jurors who are unable to perform or who
are disqualified from performing their duties.

(2) Procedure.
(A) Alternate jurors must have the same qualifications
and be selected and sworn in the same manner as any
other juror.
(B) Alternate jurors replace jurors in the same sequence
in which the alternates were selected. An alternate juror
who replaces a juror has the same authority as the other
jurors.
(3) Retaining Alternate Jurors. The court may retain alter-
nate jurors after the jury retires to deliberate. The court must
ensure that a retained alternate does not discuss the case with
anyone until that alternate replaces a juror or is discharged.
If an alternate replaces a juror after deliberations have begun,
the court must instruct the jury to begin its deliberations
anew.
(4) Peremptory Challenges. Each side is entitled to the num-
ber of additional peremptory challenges to prospective alter-
nate jurors specified below. These additional challenges may
be used only to remove alternate jurors.
(A) One or Two Alternates. One additional peremptory
challenge is permitted when one or two alternates are im-
paneled.
(B) Three or Four Alternates. Two additional peremptory
challenges are permitted when three or four alternates are
impaneled.
(C) Five or Six Alternates. Three additional peremptory
challenges are permitted when five or six alternates are
impaneled.

Advisory Committee Notes

(As amended Feb. 28, 1966, eff. July 1, 1966; Mar. 9, 1987, eff. Aug. 1, 1987; Apr. 26, 1999, eff. Dec. 1, 1999; Apr. 29, 2002, eff. Dec. 1, 2002.)