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Trial counseling uses psychology and sociology to prepare trial strategy, select jurors, and assess community attitudes. Consultants use focus groups, surveys, and mock trials to help attorneys craft a compelling case. Jury selection is the most common use of legal counseling services. Mock trials and focus groups provide valuable information for lawyers preparing their cases. Community surveys could help attorneys consider a venue change in high-profile cases. Trial observation commonly uses a group of citizens, called shadow jurors, who evaluate each step of the process and make suggestions to improve the strategy.
Trial counseling uses psychology or sociology as a tool to prepare trial strategy, select jurors, assess community attitudes, and evaluate strengths and weaknesses during the trial. Consultants use focus groups, surveys, and mock trials to help attorneys craft a compelling case and improve their chances of success. Some trial counseling experts train witnesses to increase their credibility with the jury. The process might include observing the trial and providing daily feedback to attorneys and analyzing jury verdicts to plan appeals.
Jury selection is the most common use of legal counseling services. Consultants use their education and knowledge of human nature to help attorneys screen jurors looking for bias or bias. They provide advice on the type of juror who might vote favorably for one side or the other. Trial consulting services typically help attorneys prepare lists of questions to ask prospective jurors.
Mock trials represent an area of trial advice that could yield valuable information for lawyers preparing their cases. These exercises use videotapes of real witnesses or person portraying witnesses to gauge their credibility. The mock jury evaluates the opening statement and closing argument, views the exhibits presented during the proceedings, and provides an overall opinion of the case, including questions that need to be addressed. A mock trial could last a full day or more, depending on the complexity of the case.
Focus groups have a similar purpose, but are less formal than mock processes. Trial consultants employ one or more groups of people prior to trial to obtain evidence impressions. The focus group commonly read witness statements and look at exhibits before making suggestions. This trial advisory tool could help an attorney determine the subject matter of the case and the facts that should be emphasized during the actual trial.
Community surveys could help attorneys consider a venue change in high-profile cases. These cases typically receive a lot of media attention due to the notoriety of the people or organization involved. Cases impacting residents in the region could also benefit from surveys to gauge attitudes. An attorney can use the poll results to argue for a venue change if prospective jurors show bias.
Trial observation commonly uses a group of citizens, called shadow jurors, who listen to evidence and report their opinions on the case twice a day. Shadow jurors evaluate each step of the process and make suggestions to improve the strategy. They could comment on the behavior of the lawyers and analyze the testimony of witnesses. Shadow jurors usually provide feedback during their lunch break and at the end of the day.
Some attorneys use a combination of trial consulting services to devise trial strategy. They could develop profiles for prospective jurors and find out where to shore up testimony to make the main points of the case. When post-verdict counseling occurs, an attorney gains insight into what prompted the jury’s decision as a tool to prepare for an appeal.
