The New Jersey Supreme Court authorized the expansion of a pilot program to explore the use of attorney-conducted voir dire to now include Monmouth County. For several months, attorneys and criminal defendants in Bergen, Camden and Middlesex counties have already been opting into the program.

In a July 12, 2022, order, the state’s highest court authorized the pilot program to explore the use of attorney-conducted voir dire as part of reforms aimed at improving fairness and reducing the effects of bias in jury selection. According to a bar notice issued March 16, the initial feedback supports the continued exploration of the program as an alternative to judge-led voir dire, the standard in the state for more than 50 years.