Closing Arguments: Focus and Organization
Closing Argument: Opportunity and Challenge
How to Make Clear, Quick and Effective Objections
More on Cross-Examination: Building a Case Brick by Brick
Podcast - Cross-Examination: Don't Ask One Question Too Many
Podcast - The Ten Commandments of Cross-Examination
Podcast - Refresh vs. Impeach: Know the Difference
The Justice Insiders Podcast: Jarkesy’s Implications for the Administrative State
Podcast - Cross-Examination of Expert Witnesses
Cross-Examination: The Three C’s of Impeachment
Cross-Examination: How to Effectively Impeach with a Prior Inconsistent Statement
Cross-Examination: Finding Control
DE Under 3: OFCCP Must Shut Down its Administrative Court Prosecutions as a Result of SCOTUS’ SEC Jury Trial Case Decision
Podcast - Cross-Examination: Don't Argue - Elicit Facts
Cross-Examination: Asking the Right Leading Questions
Podcast - Cross-Examination: The Importance of Organization
Understanding When to Cross-Examine
Podcast - Cross-Examination: Basic Approaches
The "Why" of Cross-Examination
Basic Points to Consider in Redirect Examination
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
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
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
This week, hosts Tina and Jennie welcome Dr. Jo Ellen Livingston, co-founder of Livingston & Shepherd Trial Consulting, where she advises clients on all aspects of the trial process, including in the areas of labor and...more
In a litigation environment hallmarked by increasingly high jury verdicts, the time is now for the trucking industry to act and to re-evaluate what defense strategies and methods will best protect our clients and ensure the...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
Wouldn’t it be helpful if potential jurors entered the selection room with a t-shirt that named all the various prejudices, preconceptions, and core beliefs they hold that could impact your case? While it might make for a...more
Our podcast guests, Jill Leibold, PhD, IMS Senior Jury Consulting Advisor and Dave Poston, Esq., CEO, General Counsel, and Co-Managing Partner at Poston Communications explain how safetyism, social inflation, and the...more
Many of our clients are concerned about the perception jurors may have if they learn the attorney has hired a jury consultant to be present during jury selection. After all, most depictions of jury consultants in books,...more
As a national trial consulting firm, we are often asked to assist with jury selection in jurisdictions where lead counsel has been admitted pro hac vice and may not be closely familiar with the standards and procedures for...more
Question: How did the jury arrive at the decision to award the plaintiff $20 million in damages? Actual Juror #1: We came up with a percentage approach, and that’s what we all discussed. We started with what she was asking...more
Fridays loom large in every courtroom. For a trial lawyer, they are a chance to reassess the case’s progression, end a strong week of witnesses on a flourish, or implicitly press jurors for a quick verdict. And of course, the...more
It is not unusual to hear questions or comments similar to the following from a member of a trial team. “I get all this about ‘themes’ and, of course, we have them, but what do they have to do with all the evidence we need to...more
One of the first questions potential clients want to know when they call us is: How much does a mock trial cost? Considering that costs and expenses are a significant factor to any attorney or client’s budget, this question...more
Why Expert Credibility is Crucial - The adversarial nature of a jury trial leads many of our clients to ask, “Will my expert come across better than theirs?” This is a justifiable concern since jurors’ decisions about...more
As most litigators know, jurors’ attitudes and opinions often influence how they filter the facts of a case. It is through these lenses that jurors develop their perceptions of the parties and their corresponding motives,...more
IMS Strategy Consultant Dr. Clint Townson discusses the benefits of early case theme development and the factors leading jurors to award massive damages....more
IMS Senior Jury Consulting Advisor Dr. Merrie Jo Pitera explains why themes are important for testimony, how to prep witnesses for cross, and what attorneys can gain from working with consultants. Listen, watch, and/or read...more
IMS Senior Jury Consulting Advisor Dr. Merrie Jo Pitera joins podcast host and IMS Client Services Advisor Adam Bloomberg to discuss the goals of witness preparation, what makes a witness credible, and how witnesses can...more
It comes as no surprise that when a witness is perceived as being credible, their messages will be more persuasive to the jury. Much academic research has been conducted to determine the primary characteristics that measure...more
Conducting an effective voir dire is both a science and an art. But ensuring that attorneys ask the correct questions to support challenges and objections requires careful planning and strategy. It also requires on-the-spot...more
Okay, my title is purposefully provocative, but it is not an exaggeration. Based on a recently released, first-of-its-kind, comprehensive study on the effectiveness of voir dire following common practices in civil trials...more
The trial consulting field seems to fly mostly under the radar. As a part of the attorney’s confidential work product, our role in conducting research, preparing witnesses, and helping to advise on jury selection is not...more