From Wikipedia: "Voir Dire is the process by which attorneys select, or perhaps more appropriately reject, certain jurors to hear a case."[3] As noted above, in the United States (especially in practice under the Federal Rules of Evidence), voir dire can also refer to examination of the background of a witness to assess their qualification or fitness to give testimony on a given subject.[4]
I was not chosen for a jury and the lawyers had a very well-worded phrase: "We would like to thank and excuse (in this case, me). I felt great. Not only did I not have to sit on a jury but I was thanked and asked, very politely, to leave.
This, I think, is a good practice in the real world too. I have done this numerous times with people in my life with people who weren't cutting it as friends. I didn't thank and excuse them to their face because it just seemed like it would have been needlessly cruel bit I wonder what our society would be like if it were an accepted norm.
"How's life?"
"OK, I guess. Kevin thanked and excused me."
"Hey, I've been Voir dired before, it's probably for the best."
I don't know if this will catch on but there are things and people and even whole organizations I'd like to voir dire, to thank and excuse. You're really doing no favors to anybody by allowing them not to measure up to your standards. I think we need to know what those standards are, and enforce them.
Mine are simple: be kind and considerate; hear what I have to say; don't bring alcohol to my house; respect me, my property and my friends.
If you can't do that, I'd like to thank and excuse you.
