Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 234A, § 22 (2026)

Confidential juror questionnaire for each prospective juror

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 22. The office of jury commissioner shall provide a confidential juror questionnaire to each prospective juror. The information elicited by the questionnaire shall be such information as is ordinarily raised in voir dire examinations of jurors, including the juror's name, sex, age, residence, marital status, number and ages of children, education level, occupation, employment address, spouse's occupation, spouse's employment address, previous service as a juror, present or past involvement as a party to civil or criminal litigation, relationship to a police or law enforcement officer, and such other information as the jury commissioner deems appropriate. The questionnaire shall contain the prospective juror's declaration that the information supplied in the completed questionnaire is true to the best of his knowledge and that he understands that a wilful misrepresentation of a material fact therein is a crime, which, upon conviction, may be punished by a fine of not more than two thousand dollars. Immediately below such declaration, the questionnaire shall contain a place for the signature of the juror. A notice of the confidentiality of the completed questionnaire shall appear prominently on the face of the questionnaire.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 16 cases, 1987–2020 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Hampton, 928 N.E.2d 917 (Mass. 2010).

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Commonwealth v. Hampton, 928 N.E.2d 917 (Mass. 2010). · cites it 2× “Although the judge did not address juror A’s failure to include his criminal history on his confidential juror questionnaire, see G. L. c. 234A, § 22, or his disqualification from jury service pursuant to G.”

Commonwealth v. Silva, 918 N.E.2d 65 (Mass. 2009). · cites it 2× “s ability to render a fair and impartial verdict; (2) whether the prospective juror or any member of the juror’s family, or a close acquaintance, ever worked for a law enforcement agency and, if so, the details of such employment; and (3) whether the prospective juror would find…”

Commonwealth v. Lopes, 802 N.E.2d 97 (Mass. 2004). · cites it 2× “Pursuant to G. L. c. 234A, § 22, each member of the venire was required to complete and sign a confidential juror questionnaire that elicited information to be used by the judge and lawyers during empanelment of the jury.”

Commonwealth v. Cousin, 873 N.E.2d 742 (Mass. 2007). · cites it 2× “” G. L. c. 234A, § 22. The relevance of jurors’ criminal histories to their service also has been noted in appellate decisions.”

Commonwealth v. Espinal, 121 N.E.3d 1189 (Mass. 2019). “Where the subject of requested questioning is not enumerated in G. L. c. 234A, § 22, or G. L. c. 234A, § 67A, and where, as here, no substantial risk of extraneous influence has been shown, both the scope and form of such questioning are left to the sound discretion of the trial…”

Commonwealth v. Carvalho, 88 Mass. App. Ct. 840 (Mass. App. Ct. 2016). “4 See G. L. c. 234A, § 22. The trial transcript also makes clear that the judge and counsel were aware of the jury questionnaires and the answers contained therein, as they served as the basis for individualized questioning of prospective jurors.”

Commonwealth v. Greineder, 936 N.E.2d 372 (Mass. 2010). “1301 (1998); G. L. c. 234A, §§ 22, 23. 5 This case underscores, once again, the importance of a record of all events during trial.”

Commonwealth v. Reavis, 992 N.E.2d 304 (Mass. 2013). “The judge also emphasized several times, in drawing prospective jurors’ attention to the juror questionnaires they were to have completed, see G. L. c. 234A, § 22, that they should consider carefully whether they had ever taken out, or been the subject of, a G.”

Commonwealth v. Silva, 864 N.E.2d 1 (Mass. 2007). “9 Only the list of the entire jury venire, which is not at issue here, is a public record pursuant to G. L. c.”

Commonwealth v. Ortiz, 737 N.E.2d 482 (Mass. App. Ct. 2000). “L. c. 234A, §§ 22 & 23.) Under Superior Court Rule 6 (1989), counsel may challenge jurors only as they are seated; having once declined to challenge a juror, counsel may not use a remaining peremptory challenge to remove that juror in later rounds of the jury selection process.”

Silva v. Roden, 52 F. Supp. 3d 209 (D. Mass. 2014). “See G.L. c. 234A, § 22. The judge asked the venire whether “the nature and seriousness of these charges make it difficult for you to render a fair and impartial verdict?” He also asked if there was “any reason at all why you would not be completely impartial in this case and be…”

Commonwealth v. Mickel, 517 N.E.2d 443 (Mass. 1987). · cites it 2× “The defendant asserts that he was prejudiced because two jurors who had deliberated on his case failed to answer the juror questionnaire, see G. L. c. 234A, § 22, as to whether they or any member of their family had prior experience as victims of crime.”

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