Identity theft occurs when the wrongdoer steals a form of identification-such as a name, date of birth, or Social Security number-and uses the information to access the victim's financial resources. This crime existed to a certain extent before the widespread use of the Internet. Thieves would "steal" calling-card numbers by watching people using public telephones, or they would rifle through garbage to find bank account or credit-card numbers.

Jurors are selected through a process called voir dire, which involves questioning the prospective jurors to determine whether they are biased, have any connection with the party to the action, or have any connection with a prospective witness. The attorney's role is to ask questions of the prospective jurors. The legal assistant's role is to work with the attorneys to prepare the questions that will be asked of the jurors during voir dire. During the jury selection process, paralegals often observe the prospective jurors as they respond to the attorney's questions and watch for any verbal or nonverbal responses that might show bias.

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