Venire
Literal meaning: “To come”
What does the Latin term "Venire" mean in law?
Venire, short for venire facias (cause to come), refers both to the writ summoning prospective jurors to court and to the panel of prospective jurors summoned for jury selection. The venire is the pool from which the petit jury (trial jury) or grand jury is drawn through the voir dire process. Constitutional requirements demand that the venire represent a fair cross-section of the community, and systematic exclusion of cognizable groups from the venire violates the Sixth Amendment right to an impartial jury. Challenges to the composition of the venire are a frequent basis for appellate review in criminal cases.
Source: Procedure · Legal Latin
Legal Definition
Venire, short for venire facias (cause to come), refers both to the writ summoning prospective jurors to court and to the panel of prospective jurors summoned for jury selection. The venire is the pool from which the petit jury (trial jury) or grand jury is drawn through the voir dire process. Constitutional requirements demand that the venire represent a fair cross-section of the community, and systematic exclusion of cognizable groups from the venire violates the Sixth Amendment right to an impartial jury. Challenges to the composition of the venire are a frequent basis for appellate review in criminal cases.
How It's Used
Criminal defense attorneys scrutinize the venire for demographic composition and potential biases during the jury selection process. Courts maintain venire lists drawn from voter registrations, driver's license records, and other sources to ensure a representative cross-section of the community.
Example Sentences
The defense moved to quash the venire after discovering that the jury pool had been drawn exclusively from property tax rolls, systematically underrepresenting renters.
A venire of seventy-five prospective jurors was summoned for the high-profile murder trial, anticipating extensive voir dire.
The appellate court reversed the conviction because the trial court's venire selection process systematically excluded Spanish-speaking residents.