Jury Research

Our Jury Research Services

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  Mock Trials & Focus Groups

  Mock trials and focus groups offer powerful insights into likely reactions to your key issues, case themes, and arguments.

  Mock trials typically simulate the courtroom environment—complete with opening/closing, witness testimony, and deliberations—and uncover jurors’ decision-making processes. Legal focus groups present each side’s position in summary fashion, often followed by distinct “modules” to assess case issues of interest. Throughout, facilitated discussions reveal how new details impact jurors’ views, and which themes can be developed based on what they think “really happened” in the dispute.

  Far from adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, our jury consultants use the most appropriate methodology, tailored to achieve your research goals and generate the highest level of quantitative and qualitative analysis. This may warrant a hybrid design combining focus group discussions with deliberations, or a panel manipulation to test varying jury instructions, verdict forms, evidence, and/or plaintiff types. We also conduct judge focus groups (see below).

  Regardless of the format, research can be completed in person and/or online. We carefully recruit mock jurors to match the demographic characteristics of a typical panel in your venue to ensure the most reliable results. Our experienced consultants then interpret the data and deliver practical guidance to help you refine themes, prepare witnesses, and strengthen strategies.

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  Damages Assessment Surveys

  Damages assessment surveys are a targeted research tool used to evaluate how jurors in a specific jurisdiction perceive different types and amounts of damages in civil cases. Often conducted early in litigation, they deliver realistic, venue-specific data to inform settlement strategy and valuation decisions. 

  IMS damages assessment surveys provide quick, cost-effective insights into juror opinions on compensatory and punitive damages, including pain and suffering, emotional distress, economic losses, and corporate liability, while discovery is still unfolding and strategy is still flexible. By presenting tailored case scenarios and facts, these surveys reveal how likely jurors are to award damages, the ranges they consider reasonable, and their broader attitudes toward defendant responsibility. 

  Clients receive a thorough summary with our jury consultants’ analysis and the opportunity to discuss results in greater detail during follow-up strategy sessions. This comprehensive approach offers critical data on potential exposure, helping trial teams assess risk, set damages expectations, and guide settlement strategy. 

  When used in conjunction with a mock trial, a damages assessment survey can also enhance the reliability of valuation estimates from the exercise.

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  Mock Bench Trials & Arbitrations

  In addition to on-site and online mock jury trials, our litigation consultants conduct mock arbitrations and mock bench trials utilizing experienced arbitrators, retired judges, practicing attorneys, and law professors. These simulated proceedings are designed to gauge the strength of key claims, case themes, and presentations before a panel whose experiences and backgrounds align with those of the actual trial judge or arbitrator(s). 

  Combined with thorough jury consultant analysis, the mock panel's feedback helps you refine arguments, assess witnesses, and adapt messages to the decision-maker's perspective. An understanding of each side’s actual strengths and vulnerabilities also gives you leverage when communicating your position.

  Mock bench trials and arbitrations are often conducted in person. When virtual proceedings are preferable, IMS offers secure survey software to collect viewers’ feedback and promptly distributes the results to clients and attorney observers.
  

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  Juror Profiling Surveys

  Understanding juror characteristics and their intersection with your case facts is essential to a winning trial strategy. Our juror profiling surveys reveal how potential jurors perceive your claims, highlighting strengths and weaknesses, and identify the juror traits and attitudes most predictive of verdict leanings. 

  These case-specific online surveys assess sentiment toward the parties, general case issues, and any relevant media exposure. They can be conducted as a standalone research tool early in litigation, before the full mock trial, or later as a mock trial add-on to enhance the sample size and reliability of juror profiles for jury selection.

  We measure key demographics, relevant life experiences, underlying attitudes such as anti-corporate views or safetyism, and the impact on verdict inclination and overall case assessment. By presenting a brief synopsis and measuring party favorability, we are able to statistically analyze which attributes most influence juror leanings. The insights help shape voir dire strategy, inform juror questionnaires, and guide strike decisions, ultimately supporting a more focused and effective jury selection.