Jury selection can make or break a case, as many attorneys have learned from painful experience. Jury selection is not a process of soothsaying, behavior reading or other "soft" techniques promoted by many of the "guru" jury pickers. Rather, prudent preparation for jury selection begins with methodologically sound data collected from pre-trial research.

Arriving at jury selection with a comprehensive juror profile based on data collected during pre-trial research is a vital tool in your trial arsenal. Thematically prepared voir dire, coupled with questionnaire data, if applicable, adds to your ability to influence the make up of the final jury that is impaneled.

Juror Profile
While human behavior is impossible to predict with one hundred percent accuracy, it is possible to craft a plaintiff/defendant or prosecution/defense juror profile. We collect qualitative and quantitative data from case specific pre-trial research and from our database to provide you with the attitudinal characteristics, values and beliefs of the ideal and non-ideal jurors for your case.

Voir Dire Development
Because jury selection is actually a rejection process, effective voir dire succeeds in identifying unfavorable jurors and minimizing the identification of favorable jurors. Voir Dire can also utilize trial themes to begin sensitizing jurors to your position. Unlike many firms, we believe that limited voir dire is sometimes more effective than expansive voir dire. We work closely with counsel to develop voir dire that is probative and programmatic in a way that coexists with court policy and is comfortable for the presenter.

Jury Questionnaire/Analysis
Court approved questionnaires undoubtedly provide more probative information on each juror, but a poorly designed questionnaire can present a host of problems and misjudgments. Questionnaires are an excellent way to gather initial data on individual jurors, and biases are more readily identifiable on a questionnaire than in voir dire.

When retained to assist with questionnaire preparation and analysis, we develop a relevant juror questionnaire designed to identify unfavorable jurors. Once presented to the court, we can assist with preparing argument for court approval and will review questions submitted by opposing counsel.

Once the pool completes the questionnaires, our professionals analyze the answers, rank and rate the jurors, suggest potential preemptory strikes and make suggestions for strikes for cause. We also develop follow up questions for individual voir dire.

Jury Selection                                                                                                                         Jury selection can be an anxious time made more difficult by the fast pace and amount of information that must be digested by the trial team in a short period of time. Rather than just one more person at counsel table, we offer jury-specific expertise that will improve the impaneling process. Our professionals have assisted counsel at jury selections all over the country and have participated in jury selections lasting from seventeen minutes to three weeks.

When retained to assist counsel at jury selection, we observe voir dire, conference with counsel throughout the process, assist with arguments for strikes for cause and suggest preemptory strikes.

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