What is a peremptory strike?

• A. Removing a juror for cause.
• B. Removing a juror without giving a reason.
• C. Randomly selecting a juror.
• D. Dismissing the entire venire.

Answer: (B)

A peremptory strike is the ability of a party to remove a prospective juror from serving on the jury without having to provide a reason. This contrasts with a strike for cause, which requires a stated justification showing the juror cannot be impartial. Peremptory challenges are limited in number by the court, and while they can be used for strategic reasons, they cannot be used to exclude jurors solely due to protected characteristics like race or gender; if such a strike is challenged, the court may require justification. In short, it describes removing a juror without giving a reason.