Targeting Safetyism in Defense Voir Dire | Episode 71
The Presumption of Innocence Podcast: Episode 49 - Perspectives From the Bench: Anatomy of a Criminal Trial With Retired Judge Margaret Foti
Innovative Jury Strategies and the Power of Preparation — FCRA Focus Podcast
Effective Trial Language Part 3: Jargon
Podcast - Effective Trial Language Part 1: Noise
Key Lessons and Takeaways for Jury Trials
How Safetyism Is Driving High Plaintiff Verdicts - IMS Insights Podcast Episode 68
Overcoming Safetyism & the Plaintiff Media Machine - IMS Insights Podcast Epsiode 66
Podcast - The “Five P’s” That Will Help Shape Jurors’ Emotions
Jury Selection Strategy in Product Liability Litigation – IMS Insights Podcast Episode 64
The Value of Visual Storytelling & Early Jury Research – IMS Insights Podcast Episode 57
How Voir Dire Fits with Appellate Practice | Robert Swafford | Texas Appellate Law Podcast
Law Brief®: Trial by Jury - With Richard Lomuscio and Richard Schoenstein
When I received my jury summons a month or so ago, I was elated. But the feeling was brief, as I quickly concluded my service would likely end as quickly as it would begin. I’m a Litigation Consultant, I work for a law firm,...more
Picture this: defense counsel sits at the ready, voir dire gameplan in hand—a list of 40+ questions and their follow-ups—to identify the worst jurors and maximize cause challenges. It is a very plaintiff-friendly venue; they...more
Explore how safetyism drives high jury verdicts and how defense teams can effectively navigate this evolving mindset in the courtroom. In this episode, IMS Senior Jury Consulting Advisor Dr. Jill Leibold and Senior Jury...more
The Honorable Margaret Foti, formerly the Presiding Judge of the Criminal Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Bergen County, joins host Matt Adams to examine the state’s criminal trial process from the view of the...more
As your juror hears testimony from a banking executive, is she thinking that banks are secretly controlling society? As another juror hears from a medical expert, is he thinking that experts like that are the ones who caused...more
When a case proceeds to trial, a legal team may face a critical decision about whether to have it adjudicated by a jury of peers or a single judge. Both options can offer benefits depending on the merits and subject matter...more
The literal translation of the French phrase voir dire is “to speak the truth.” In law, it’s the process of questioning an individual prior to jury duty or witnessing to determine their suitability....more
In a perfect world, counsel can accomplish many goals during voir dire—but when a judge puts a strict clock on the process, those goals quickly narrow. Whether you have 15 or 45 minutes, or some amount to be determined, only...more
Jury selection in the Trump hush-money trial briefly put jury consultants back in the spotlight as media pundits and their contributors discussed the Trump team’s efforts to search prospective jurors’ social media accounts...more
Of all the areas of legal lore, perhaps none are more loaded down with mystique than jury selection. Attorneys with long experience will develop some pretty solid views, and those habits on who they’re looking to seat and who...more
In most legal battles in the US, the ultimate decisions about guilt or innocence—along with sentencing and other concerns—are made not by attorneys or judges but by the jury panel. The role every citizen is responsible for...more
In addition to making their views known at the ballot box, citizens can similarly broadcast their sentiments in the civil jury box. While they’re asked to merely make a factual finding limited to a specific dispute, the...more
Law students spend years training to evaluate details and learn procedures that don’t always fall under the umbrella of common sense to laypersons. The most important issues that seem obvious to attorneys can be ignored by...more
By Dr. Ken Broda-Bahm: Yesterday, I spent the full day as a prospective juror at the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse in Denver. As you can tell from the fact that I’m writing about it, I did not get selected for the jury...more
As the historic first (but not last) criminal trial of a former U.S. President was kicking off last week, Mr. Trump commented, “Jury selection is largely luck,” before moving on to his more familiar complaints about the...more
In this episode of FCRA Focus, join host Dave Gettings and fellow partner, Jason Manning, as they delve into Jason’s recent experiences trying a consumer case in front of a jury. Jason and Dave discuss the impact of...more
By Dr. Ken Broda-Bahm: The distinction between what is fact and what is opinion is arguably one of the most fundamental distinctions in law. But in practice, it is actually a lawyer’s distinction. In the real world, and in...more
In my work, I get to watch many attorneys go through the practical rituals of jury selection. A big part of the job is looking for, setting up, and executing challenges for cause when there are reasons to doubt potential...more
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small discusses the use of jargon within a courtroom. Mr. Small goes over the negative impact that it can have on the jury and...more
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small explains the importance of being concise in the courtroom. He describes how to eliminate unnecessary words and noise so the...more
The adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” carries a special meaning in litigation. It can be one of those classic “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situations: After an injury or other tortious event, if you fix...more
The role of juries in adjudicating cases has long been the subject of consternation and debate by those in the legal system. In civil jury trials, the jury acts as the fact-finder and must determine the proper level of...more
There is a perspective on juror attitudes that has been receiving some attention lately. “Safetyism” refers to an individual’s tendency to not merely prefer safety, but to demand unrealistic standards of protection — no...more
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small is joined by Jason Bloom, a jury consultant and the founder and president of Bloom Strategic Consulting Inc., for an...more
A recent issue of American Lawyer included the provocatively titled article, “Why Jury Consultants May Not Be Worth It and Other Tips from Judges.” Reporting on discussions from the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, the...more