NEWARK — Even before federal prosecutors indicted two former allies of Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey last year in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing scandal, the case already had a long history of intense media coverage as each new detail emerged about the alleged conspiracy.

This week, lawyers will begin the process of finding 12 New Jersey residents who can — or who will say they can — impartially consider the evidence against the two defendants at a trial set to start in September.

Bridget Anne Kelly, a former aide to Mr. Christie, and Bill Baroni, a former executive at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, are charged with wire fraud and civil rights violations for allegedly causing traffic jams for four days to punish the mayor of Fort Lee, N.J., a Democrat who did not endorse Mr. Christie, a Republican.

The scandal followed Mr. Christie on his failed bid for the Republican presidential nomination, further reducing the chances of finding a dozen New Jersey residents who are not familiar with the case.