Jury and Trial Consulting: The Synchronics Group Trial Consultants


	trial strategy	trial exhibits
	mock trials	opening statement
>	juror questionaires	witness preparation
	jury selection	public opinion surveys
	synchronizing the verbal & visual trial	post trial surveys

The Synchronics Group adds value at every step of the pre-trial process, from conducting mock trials to selecting the jury, designing courtroom visuals and preparing witnesses. They are an absolutely key player in preparing for trial. "
Blyth Mickelson
Van Bourg Law Offices

JUROR QUESTIONAIRES

General format for developing juror questionnaires

Juror questionnaires are jury research instruments which help take the guess work out of jury selection. Each juror in the jury pool completes a juror questionnaire. These juror questionnaires identify the demographics, attitudes, experiences and biases of every juror. This kind of information, generally inaccessible in open court voir dire, makes jury selection decisions more apparent.

As part of our jury research work product, we develop an evaluation sheet to accompany each juror questionnaire. The evaluation sheet is filled out after each juror questionnaire is read and reviewed. The evaluation sheet ranks each juror, identifies which areas to probe in voir dire and suggests follow-up questions. With the evaluation sheet in hand, counsel has the outline for each juror’s individual voir dire.

Furthermore, evaluation sheets are invaluable in mapping our jury selection strategy. At any given time during the jury selection process, counsel knows which jurors he/she does or does not want, how likely they are to be called, how likely they are to be kept/struck by opposing counsel, who is coming up behind them and where counsel can best use his/her strikes.

Benefits of juror questionnaires to jury selection

Juror questionnaires offer counsel a composite picture of each juror in the jury pool, in terms of demographics, attitudes and experiences. This composite picture allows counsel to make the kind of quick assessments necessary in jury selection.
As a written jury research instrument, which the jurors complete privately, a juror questionnaire will more accurately reflect the bias and prejudices of the jurors than an oral examination conducted in open court
The juror questionnaires identify the specific areas of potential bias, so that the voir dire process can be a more focused and probing examination of each juror than is otherwise possible
Using juror questionnaires saves time by eliminating the repetition of generic questions asked of each individual juror
Using juror questionnaires offers counsel an overview of the whole jury pool, which facilitates the jury selection process and allows for a more intelligent voir dire and strike strategy