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Trial Methods collected data online from 204 jury-eligible people from 15 counties across the country between May 27 and June 5, 2020. These counties were selected because they represent a range of geographically, demographically and politically diverse subsets of the population. One goal was to quantify the percentage of prospective jurors who express reluctance to […]

There is no telling exactly how and in what way COVID-19 is going to spread and wreak havoc on the nation, disrupt routines and challenge our institutions. As each day brings us new information about COVID-19 and how people are reacting to it, litigants are wondering how this recently designated pandemic will affect future jury […]

Trial Methods set out to take the pulse of the public by questioning jury-eligible people across the country about their attitudes pertaining to litigation-related topics at the outset of 2017. Respondents were from geographically, politically and demographically diverse regions and asked a series of questions online. The same survey with the same methodology was administered […]

Our country is divided along many dimensions. One realm where this phenomenon exists is in the world of politics. We see in poll after poll a near-even split in the way the country views the president, his policies and now with impeachment. Roughly half want the president impeached and removed while the other half are […]

A stealth juror is a prospective juror who attempts to make it onto a jury in hopes of attaining a pre-determined outcome in the deliberation. More often than not this juror will say very little during voir dire to try and fly under the radar, or if they do speak, will tailor responses to convey […]

So, why do so many of us fear public speaking? We’ve all been there – your hands are shaking, your heart is beating and your mind is racing about your initial presentation to the jury.  As your time gets closer and closer, your focus shifts from the content of the opening you’ve rehearsed countless times […]

Attorneys love it when their expert witness possesses a degree (or two) from a highly prestigious academic institution. Of course, this is not a coincidence, as lawyers routinely consider educational background when seeking out good candidates to be an expert witness. An impressive resume, the thinking goes, means the ultimate decision maker, typically the jury, […]

I was recently asked by a lawyer friend getting ready to pick a jury whether he should ask members of the panel whether they have any tattoos. My general reaction was unless the case involved someone suing a tattoo shop then it probably wouldn’t be a meaningful area of inquiry and that time would be […]

Trial Methods set out to take the pulse of the public by questioning jury-eligible people across the country about their attitudes pertaining to litigation at the outset of 2017. Respondents were from geographically, politically and demographically diverse regions and asked a series of questions online. The same survey with the same methodology was administered in […]

How did you feel when you received your jury summons? My first reaction to receiving the summons was a feeling of inconvenience; how I would have to miss work and sit in a room all day with people I didn’t know. I had received a summons before and did not have to serve on a […]