RUBEN ARNEZ COLLINS v. STATE OF MARYLAND
Court of Appeals of Maryland, Barbera, April 21, 2017,
Voir Dire – There is no requirement that responses to voir dire questions be provided at the bench rather than in open court

Facts:
A judge in Wicomico County conducted voir dire of a jury panel in open court, asking prospective jurors to stand and explain their answers to certain questions instead of inviting them to respond in private at the bench.
After the defendant was convicted, he appealed arguing that the trial judge abused his discretion in conducting voir dire in the open rather than at the bench.

Legal:
Held: While it is best practice to conduct voir dire at the bench, it is not constitutionally required.