Smith's Criminal Case Compendium
Table of Contents
Evidence
Arrest, Search, and Investigation
Criminal Offenses
Drug Offenses
Thaler v. Haynes, 559 U.S. 43 (Feb. 22, 2010)
When an explanation for a peremptory challenge is based on a prospective juror’s demeanor, the trial judge should consider, among other things, any observations the judge made of the prospective juror’s demeanor during the voir dire. However, no previous decisions of the Court have held that a demeanor-based explanation must be rejected if the judge did not observe or cannot recall the prospective juror’s demeanor.