You’ve Been Summoned!
We’ve all been there. That moment when we’re flipping through the mail and we see… The Envelope. The dreaded jury summons. Nobody beams with excitement when they are called for jury duty– at least nobody I know. I have been summoned a few times, and unless I have a trial conflict, I show up as... Read More
Promises, Pledges and Punishment?
The issue of Google, outside research and juries is a hot topic lately. It’s probably even hotter amongst my fellow jury consulting peers and colleagues. A few weeks ago, I Tweeted an article that appeared in the New York Times titled, “Judge Considers Pledge for Internet Use.” In a nutshell, the article addressed the ongoing... Read More
Death vs. Betrayal: When Products Fail (Part 2)
When shopping for a car with an air bag system –if all other things were equal– would you choose Car A, a vehicle with a 2% chance of death from impact, or would you choose Car B, a vehicle with a 1% chance of death from impact plus an extra .01% percent chance of death... Read More
Up in Smoke: When Products Fail (Part 1)
Texas is dealing with the worst wildfires in state history. More than 1500 homes and 34,000 acres have been destroyed, and officials believe those numbers will continue to increase in the days ahead. As Mother Nature takes her toll, a research study comes to mind. In a 2003 study conducted by Koehler and Gershoff, a... Read More
Google Mania (Part 3): How It’s Playing Out in the Courtroom
If you’re wondering how Google, Facebook, Twitter and researching jurors plays out in the courtroom, check out the cases below. The growing use of social media and internet use in the courtroom setting is murky at best, but juror use of social media seems to be a definite no-no. Attorneys who use the internet to research... Read More
Google Mania (Part 2): Voir Google?
Admit it. Every attorney, jury consultant and client wants to know as much as possible about prospective jurors before seating a panel, and thanks to Google, peeking into a juror’s private life has become as easy as pie. Facebook, Twitter, blogs, personal websites and professional networking sites have– to the chagrin of many– become perfectly... Read More
Google Mania (Part 1): When Jurors Research
We live in a society where information can be gathered on any topic within seconds. The click of a mouse or tap of a finger– often a subconscious or reflexive act– provides a quick fix to our need for answers. We hop on Twitter for the most recent news stories. We use handheld phones to... Read More
Stressed Out Witnesses? A New Article in The Jury Expert.
The new issue of The Jury Expert was released earlier this week and features “In the Mood? Strategies for Working with Depressed and/or Anxious Witnesses,” authored by Kacy Miller. It discusses the challenges these moods present when preparing witnesses for deposition or trial testimony, and provides nine practical strategies to aid in prep sessions. Click here to read... Read More
A Lawyer on the Jury: Benefit or Risk?
Jurors have been sworn in for the Roger Clemens trial: twelve jurors and four alternates. The Washington Post National Journal published an article yesterday that hits on a few things counsel learned about the jurors during voir dire. Of course, the article does not address every single nugget shared by each of the empaneled jurors,... Read More
Batter Up! How Will Perceptions of Congress Impact Jury Selection in the Roger Clemens Trial?
Jury selection has started for the Roger Clemens perjury trial. The former all-star pitcher is accused of lying under oath to Congress during hearings on the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Clemens claimed he never used HGH, but the government thinks otherwise. U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton is presiding over the criminal trial, and... Read More