What opinion says we cannot give a factual overview or synopsis of our case to the jury at the beginning of Voir Dire? Thanks for your help!

[This message was edited by Curtis on 09-29-04 at .]

[This message was edited by Curtis on 09-29-04 at .]

OK - I'll expose my ignorance - I have always given a bit of a light over view while picking a jury. Not detailed facts, but enough that I know how they feel about BTR, drunk vs intoxicated, and the like.

From a couple of seminars I've attended, I got the idea that voir dire has nothing to do with picking a fair and impartial jury, and has everything to do with making voir dire your final argument, if you can get away with it.

Brown v. State, 674 S.W.2d 443 (Tex.App. - Dallas 1984) aff'd 741 S.W.2d 453 (Tex.Crim.App. 1987) was the pre-Standefer case about contracting with jurors about the facts of the case. Standefer is the new case.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for your help. I was not trying to contract with the jurors, just give them an overview of the facts of the case. This was not about committment questions, just a quick recitation of the facts of the case. I have not had time to re read Sandifer, does it mention anything about telling just the facts?

ttt