I will have a jury trial in a juvenile case next week. This is my first as a prosecutor, and I am trying to prepare for voir dire.

I think that the juvenile's contention is that the two eyewitnesses that I have to his criminal mischief were also involved in the criminal mischief. My question is, do I need to go into what it takes to be a party to a crime during voir dire, or is this going to needlessly confuse the jury?

I am proceeding under the theory that the juvenile is the only actor involved, but I do not want the jury to be sidetracked by arguments that he should not be adjudicated because the other two are not charged as well.

I don't think I would voir dire parties if he was the actual actor. I agree with your thought that it would be too confusing.

I would file a motion in liminie to keep the defense from mentioning whether the other two were charged. After all that is confidential info under the family code, not to mention totally irrelevant to this respondent.