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 exhibit we took into mediation - conceived and designed by The Synchronics Group - was decisive in our winning an 8 million dollar settlement. The case was complicated, but the exhibit explained our points so clearly and concisely, that opposing counsel decided to settle right then and there. The case settled the day they saw the exhibit."
Robert Green
Green and Girard

JURY SELECTION

A 7 step jury selection process

In jury selection, counsel is expected to decide which jurors will most fairly judge the case, but is given precious little information upon which to base that decision. The following 7 step jury selection process, which was created by The Synchronics Group Trial Consultants, based on scientific data and substantiated by 20 years of courtroom experience, helps take the guess work out of jury selection. In so doing, it offers counsel a crucial edge in the courtroom.

Step 1	Case education: We read the relevant case documents which summarize the evidence and arguments for both the plaintiff and defense
Step 2	Case analysis: We meet with the client to identify the main issues, outline case themes and map out case strategy
Step 3	Juror profile: We outline the demographics, experiences, attitudes and personality characteristics of those jurors who will be more/less receptive to the case strategy we have outlined
Step 4	Voir dire strategy: We pin-point subject areas to explore in jury selection and design specific questions to reveal jurors' biases, experiences and attitudes
Step 5	Juror questionnaire: We develop a juror questionnaire by which to identify the characteristics we have outlined in our juror profile
	When it is not possible to introduce a juror questionnaire, we develop a work product which includes a series of questions relating to each issue. These questions form the core of the individual voir dire of each juror. To avoid boredom through repetition, we offer counsel several different ways of asking the same question so that the jurors stay interested in the process.
Step 6	Evaluation sheet: We design an evaluation sheet by which to evaluate and rank each juror according to his/her responses
Step 7	Jury Selection: In the courtroom, we are an extra pair of eyes and ears reporting to counsel, not only listening to the verbal message, but being attentive to the nonverbal communication messages, as well, as an important indicator of character and bias.

Benefits of the 7 step jury selection process

This jury selection process achieves the following objectives:
It identifies the demographics, attitudes and experiences of jurors who will respond most/least favorably to your case
It identifies the voir dire questions counsel needs to ask each juror in order to make intelligent strike decisions
It evaluates the answers of each juror and translates them into positive/negative ratings
It optimizes the voir dire process so that valuable time is saved
It reduces the guess work in jury selection
By being well prepared, counsel will feel confident going into jury selection. This confidence communicates as power to the jurors, and establishes counsel’s leadership in the courtroom.