voir diren.

1676 T. W. Office of Clerk of Assize G j Such person so produced for a witness, may be examined upon a Voire Dire.

1701 W. Kennett Cowell's Interpreter (new ed.) sig. Mmm2a When it is pray'd upon a Trial at Law, that a Witness may be sworn upon a Voir dire; the meaning is, he shall upon his Oath speak or declare the truth.

1768 W. Blackstone Comm. Laws Eng. III. 332 If however the court has, upon inspection, any doubt of the age of the party,..it may..examine the infant himself upon an oath of voir dire, veritatem dicere, that is, to make true answer to such questions as the court shall demand of him.

1834 Edinb. Rev. Apr. 232 All the persons most intimately connected with Ireland are examined on the voir dire.

1968 Daily Colonist (Victoria, Brit. Columbia) 13 Sept. 42/3 Police testimony was called and a voir-dire—a trial within a trial—was held to determine whether a statement from one of the accused was admissible evidence. Immediately after the voir-dire, Magistrate Fraser questioned Dr. Carpenter.

1973 N.Y. Law Jrnl. 19 July 12/3 The voire dire examination as to the qualifications of this witness..revealed that he lacked the background which would qualify him as an expert.

1980 Times 18 Jan. 10/4 His Lordship was prepared to assume that the voire dire (trial within a trial) and the verdict taken together did constitute a final judgment on the same issues.

1981 Daily Tel. 26 June 6/3 The purpose of the ‘trial within a trial’ known to lawyers as a voir dire, had been to decide whether Brophy had been induced to make a number of alleged statements [etc.].