From case inception forward, Trial Exhibits will help you evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your case, develop the story you present to a jury, and increase your success in the courtroom. We employ experienced and skilled Litigation Consultants and Research Scientists to develop case-specific themes, strategies, and visual presentations designed to maximize the potential for a favorable outcome. With over 20 years experience in courtrooms across the United States, we hear everyday from real jurors what works and what doesn’t. 

Our consultants apply that experience with their expert knowledge of the social sciences to assist attorneys in identifying trial strategies, developing presentation materials, and assessing juror perceptions and biases. Before a trial has even begun, our consultants can provide services that improve the likelihood of a positive result: pretrial small group research and jury selection consultation.

Pretrial Small Group Research (Focus Groups/Mock Trials)

We all are guilty of getting "too close" to our cases from time to time, and focus groups or mock trials can present the perfect dose of honest feedback needed to enhance the selling points of your case. 
Attorneys often employ the use of focus groups early in the discovery process to determine how personal experiences, attitudes, and beliefs affect jurors’ perceptions of case facts and evidence or to assess specific themes for case development. Mock trials are more structured than focus groups and are conducted once an attorney is prepared to practice his/her presentation, typically close to the date of trial. Pretrial research projects are designed both to assist the attorney and the consultant in developing effective approaches to settling or trying the case. In the event that settlement negotiations are not successful, our consultants make recommendations that are useful in developing a persuasive case presentation at trial. 

Pretrial research answers questions such as:

§  How will the jury perceive the issues and the evidence in the case?

§  How can we develop the themes and the story to be more persuasive?

§  What is the best way to mitigate weaknesses in the case?

§  How can the case be simplified?

§  What questions about the facts will be important to the jury?

§  How can the fact and expert witnesses tell the truth more effectively?

§  How can the demonstrative aides be more effective?

§  Who is the ideal juror and what is the best jury selection strategy?

Jury Selection

The jury selection process is one of the most crucial aspects in determining the outcome of trial, and our consultants can assist you at every step. Not only will a consultant provide you with thematically-oriented voir dire questions based on the specific issues in your case, but he/she will be present during the entire jury selection process. Our consultants are trained in psychology and prepared to observe and detect biases held by prospective jurors based on their verbal responses and body language. If administration of jury supplemental questionnaires is permitted, our expertise in item construction and evaluation of responses will allow you to easily identify individuals who hold strong views on the case. During voir dire questioning, our consultants take detailed notes to ensure that  jurors’ own words are recorded and assist in determining exclusions for cause. Finally, our consultants provide strategic suggestions for peremptory and cause challenges leading to the exclusion of the most biased individuals from the jury pool.

Of course, the impaneling of a jury is only the first step of the trial process. After the jury is sworn, a consultant will summarize descriptive information about individual jurors and the jury as a group. Based on the jury composition, our consultant will formulate recommendations to increase the persuasiveness of your  case presentation. The better you know your target audience, the more effective you will be at selling your arguments.