Category: Jury Selection & the Art of Jury Deselection

The Chicago Bar Association has an upcoming continuing legal education event: February 22, 2017:  4:00 to 6:30 pm, Richard J. Daley Center, Rm 2005 Jury Selection: Practical Advice for Picking a Jury

As a trial lawyer, I read and hear stories regularly about fellow trial lawyers discovering that a previously sworn juror's Facebook page contradicted his voir dire answers or revealed a unfavorable, biased attitude toward the plaintiff's case.

In voir dire, I want to ask prospective jurors their attitudes or feelings about certain fundamental facts in the case, i.e. anticipated evidence.  I need to know whether a juror has some inherent "belief" based attitude that will prevent him from fairly hearing the plaintiff's evidence.

In jury selection, I try to use voir dire to have an open and frank discussion with prospective jurors about their experiences and beliefs. I not only want to know their experiences and beliefs but also how they might affect their ability to listen favorably to my client's case.   In essence, based on  a juror's belief

Jury Selection: Television's “Bull” and the Trial Lawyer's Ethical Limits to Researching a Prospective Juror's Social Media Presence I have been watching the new hit television drama “Bull” about the adventures of a jury trial consultant.