A “Selfie” Injury Case Pits Bull vs. His Client
What to do when you and your client don’t see eye to eye on trial strategy? Grit your teeth and figure it out. The most recent episode of CBS’s “Bull” involves the “selfie injury” of a teenager, James Donovan, who was attempting to capture a selfie while sitting on the rooftop sign of a pizza... Read More
Was ‘Bull’ Fratricide a Tragic Accident or Intentional Murder?
This week’s episode of “Bull” opens on the Crawford brothers, Charlie, 13, and Theo, 17, home alone one afternoon. Charlie persuades his older brother to open their father’s locked gun safe for a little show-and-tell. Charlie wants to hold the gun, and while Theo is resistant, he acquiesces. Hearing a ruckus and fearing Mom and... Read More
Words Matter: Expert Advice on Effective Language (Part 3 of 3)
In two recent blog posts (here and here), I resurrected one of my favorite books on communication: Dr. Frank Luntz’s “Words that Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear.” Although his approach is often political, I believe Dr. Luntz’s “Rules of Effective Language” apply just as easily to the world of litigation... Read More
Big Pharma is the Real Bad Guy in “Bull” Murder Case
This week’s episode, “Killer Doctor,” is chock full of goodies. We have a woman dying of terminal cancer. Experimental drugs. A grieving brother and son. The murder of the treating physician. A confession (or two). And the bonus? We even get a dash of that last-minute, yet far-fetched, Bull team sleuthing. Good stuff. It’s a... Read More
‘Bull’ Shows the Perils of Confirmation Bias
Did CBS hire a new team of writers for “Bull” this season? I hate to jinx anything, but the S4 episodes have actually had quasi-plausible storylines. What is happening? I don’t know, but I can tell you what is not happening: jury consulting. Or not much of it, at least. And I have to admit,... Read More
Family Dispute Brings Out the Best in Benny (and the Bull in Dr. Bull)
Here’s a question: Why hasn’t anyone in the World of Bull ever called him out for providing legal advice and representation without a license? I get the whole “gotta-make-it-sexy” spin from Hollywood, but isn’t “Bull” supposed to be about jury consulting? In yet another episode this season, we find Dr. Bull doing very little jury... Read More
From Prosecutor to Defender: Benny Switches Sides on “Bull”
Justice delayed is far from ideal, but it’s better than life behind bars. This column is supposed to address the realities and absurdities of jury consulting as depicted in CBS’ “Bull.” But what’s an author to do when the episode has little to no actual jury consulting in the storyline? You dig deep and find... Read More
Fanciful Technology Aside, Bull Gives Realistic Portrayal of Voir Dire Seed-Planting
Pinch me. The voir dire questioning in this week’s episode of “Bull” was actually something I can sink my teeth into. At least as far as the Hollywoodization of jury selection goes. This week’s storyline centered on a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) federal criminal trial where a millennial-ish entrepreneur named Whitney was facing a... Read More
Benny Returns and Gives “Bull” a Dose of Much-Needed Courtroom Realism
Welcome back to “Bull,” everyone. Season 4 jumped off to a fast start, and so will I. (Need a quick recap of the Season 3 finale? Click here.) If you’ve read previous columns, I’ve repeatedly dissed the writers and producers for never handing Bull a loss. They must have been reading my articles, because the... Read More
CourtroomLogic Consulting, LLC, Named Best Jury Consultant in Dallas, Earns Place in Hall of Fame
Also Named One of the Top Three in Austin CourtroomLogic Consulting, LLC, led by president and founder Kacy Miller, has been recognized by Texas Lawyer as the best jury consultant in Dallas in its annual “Best Of” survey of companies that provide services to the legal profession. CourtroomLogic was also named to the top three in... Read More