A For Cause Challenge is defined as what?

• A. A lawyer's request to excuse a juror because the person appears biased or unable to be fair.
• B. The dismissal of a juror for discretionary reasons.
• C. A challenge based on the juror's age.
• D. A challenge to the juror's education.

Answer: (A)

For-cause challenges target jurors who cannot be fair or impartial. A lawyer asks the court to excuse a juror because the juror appears biased or unable to be fair, whether due to strong beliefs, personal relationships with parties, prior commitments that would affect neutrality, or any factor that would prevent an impartial verdict. The judge decides based on the juror’s ability to be fair, often after questioning during voir dire.

This is different from removal for discretionary reasons, which refers to peremptory challenges that allow a party to strike a juror without giving a reason. Grounds like age or education aren’t themselves the defining basis for a for-cause challenge; they must be linked to actual bias or inability to be impartial.