Jury Research

Our Jury Research Services

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  Mock Trials & Focus Groups

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

  Mock trials simulate the courtroom environment—complete with opening/closing, witness testimony, and deliberations—and uncover jurors’ decision-making processes. 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 information impacts jurors’ views and what case 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.

  Regardless of the format, research can be conducted in person or online. We carefully recruit mock jurors to match the demographic characteristics of a typical panel in your venue and ensure the most reliable results.

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  Community Attitude Surveys

  The culture of a particular venire is difficult to gauge by outsiders and can shift within a matter of months or years. Community attitude surveys shine a light on public perceptions of the parties and case issues. This targeted study with rigorous statistical analysis offers a critical look at the jury pool you will likely encounter at trial.

  Survey results uncover preexisting attitudes likely to influence your jury. They also form the foundation of juror profiles for use during jury selection. By presenting a brief synopsis of the case and tracking each survey respondent’s orientation toward a plaintiff or defendant verdict, we can correlate verdict responses with background characteristics.

  As with all our jury research projects, clients receive a detailed report with key findings and strategic recommendations.

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  Mock Proceedings

  In addition to mock trials, our jury consultants conduct mock arbitrations, mediations, and bench trials featuring experienced arbitrators, mediators, and judges. These simulated in-person or online proceedings gauge the strength of your case themes, claims, and presentations.

  Input from surrogate arbitrators helps you refine arguments, prepare witnesses, and adapt your messages to an arbitrator’s point of view. In mediation, a fleshed-out understanding of each side’s strengths and vulnerabilities gives you leverage when communicating your position.

  When mock proceedings are conducted online, we utilize secure survey software to collect viewers’ feedback and promptly distribute the results to clients and attorney observers.

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  Case Issue Round Tables

  A shift from the traditional jury research model, case issue round tables can be used to test mock jurors’ attitudes about relevant social issues before introducing specific case facts or arguments.
  

  Using a structured interview protocol of open-ended questions, an IMS consultant encourages participants to share their candid experiences and perspectives. By first investigating those key underlying viewpoints, we may better understand how jurors are likely to apply them to your case facts.

  This design can be a valuable asset early in the litigation process and suits circumstances from simple cases on a budget to complex disputes involving hot-button issues. With its focus on broader community expectations, clients come away with unfiltered feedback to drive discovery efforts and determine a narrative direction aligned with what jurors in your venue will expect to hear.