Change of venue
Change of venue refers to the legal process of relocating a trial from one jurisdiction to another. This procedure is significant in ensuring the impartiality of the court system, particularly in criminal cases where local biases may arise due to extensive media coverage, public sentiment, or potential threats to safety. Defense attorneys often advocate for a change of venue, believing that a different location can yield a more objective jury. Conversely, prosecutors may resist such changes, feeling that they have a better chance of securing convictions in the communities where the crimes occurred. Judges ultimately decide whether to grant a motion for a change of venue, weighing the implications of media attention and community sentiment on the trial's fairness. A notable example of this is the trial of Timothy McVeigh, whose highly publicized case was moved from Oklahoma City to Denver following the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. This decision underscores the delicate balance between a fair trial and the influence of local context on judicial proceedings.
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Change of venue
SIGNIFICANCE: The importance of impartiality in the court system is demonstrated by court procedures such as change of venue.
A change of venue is a change in the location of a trial. Criminal trials are usually conducted within the jurisdictions in which the crimes being tried take place. Trials can be moved to other jurisdictions because of concerns about jurors being biased because of local media coverage, dangers of violence, or racial prejudice. Initiatives for changing venues are often taken by defense attorneys who ask judges to relocate their trials because they believe different locations will provide more impartial juries for their clients. Prosecutors often object to changing venue because they believe they are more likely to win convictions in the communities in which the crimes take place.
Judges make the decisions to move trials to different parts of the state, due in part to the amount of media attention that cases receive. A judicial decision to change the venue of a trial can impact the outcome of that trial. Moving a trial from its original jurisdiction may locate it in an area where potential jurors are resentful of the media attention it brings to their community. However, choosing not to relocate a high-profile trial can provide the basis for an appeal at the conclusion of the trial.
For example, in 1995, a right-wing extremist named Timothy McVeigh detonated a truck bomb outside of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City, killing 168 people. The attack shocked the nation and left both emotional and physical scars on Oklahoma City. As a result, McVeigh’s trial was moved to Denver, Colorado. He was found guilty in 1997, sentenced to death, and executed in 2001.
Bibliography
Meyer, J. F., and D. R. Grant. The Courts in Our Criminal Justice System. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 2003.
Neubauer, D. W. America’s Courts and the Criminal Justice System. 7th ed. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth, 2002.
“Trials of the Perpetrators.” Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, 2024, memorialmuseum.com/experience/lessons-learned/justice/trials-of-the-perpetrators/. Accessed 24 June 2024.