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Scientific evaluation of juror damage awards post-COVID
Few individuals would argue that COVID-19’s aftermath has left potential jurors in a heightened state of emotion. Our own research [1] at Courtroom Sciences, Inc. has confirmed these assumptions as well.   This becomes problematic when considering that jurors in a heightened state of emotion have ...
Steve Wood, Ph.D. - Litigation Psychology
— February 2021 — 53 views COVID-19 Jurors Jury consulting Litigation psychology Mock trials Research Trial consulting


Alternative exploratory research designs in litigation - part 1
Pre-trial or “jury research” is sometimes bifurcated into two categories [1] , the first being Exploratory Research – projects designed to initially “see what’s out there,” investigate the substantive terrain of a case, and find out “what sticks” thematically in terms of case arguments, issues, an...
George R. Speckart, Ph.D. - Litigation Psychology
— February 2021 — 49 views Exploratory research Focus groups Litigation psychology Research Scientific method Trial consulting


Litigation Psychology Podcast #57 - Storytelling in litigation
Trial attorney Brent A. Turman from Dallas firm Bell Nunnally & Martin, LLP joins the podcast to discuss the value and impact of storytelling in litigation. Brent has a fascinating background that has helped him develop his storytelling skills, which he applies to cases he works on. Brent worked o...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— February 2021 — 121 views Jurors Planning Presentations


The Litigation Psychology Podcast #56 - Trucking & Covid-19
This episode of The Litigation Psychology Podcast focuses on how the trucking and transportation industry [1] responded to the pandemic and the impressions, attitudes, and beliefs that jurors have toward transportation and trucking companies. Dr. Steve Wood discusses research [2] that CSI has cond...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— February 2021 — 170 views COVID-19 Jurors Litigation psychology Research Trucking Witness training


Litigation trends in 2021 - part 2
In part 1 of this topic [1] , we covered litigation trends and developments including an increase in settlements, changing juror perceptions, the fragile state of witnesses, and considerations, risks, and opportunities around essential workers. In the final part of this topic, we dive into nuclear...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— January 2021 — 308 views Anti-reptile COVID-19 Crisis Enterprise risk management Jury consulting Litigation psychology Nuclear verdicts Reptile Trial consulting Witness training


Defense strategy during the pandemic
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates 37% of Americans experienced symptoms of anxiety or depression during mid-December 2020 ( U.S. Census Bureau, Household Pulse Survey, 2020 [1] ). Defense attorneys returning to the courthouse for trials in coming months will face a jury venire composed of many peop...
Melissa Loberg, Ph.D. & Lorie Sicafuse, Ph.D.
— January 2021 — 305 views COVID-19 Jurors Jury consulting Litigation psychology Research Trial consulting


Litigation trends in 2021 - part 1
If 2020 taught us anything, it is that making predictions about the future is foolhardy. Though the unexpected is likely to be woven into every aspect of our lives and businesses, there often are trends and developments that are worth being aware of and prepared for. Considering that approach, th...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— January 2021 — 337 views COVID-19 Depositions Jurors Jury consulting Litigation psychology Mock trials Research Trial consulting Witness training


The Litigation Psychology Podcast #51 - Attorney demeanor
In this week’s podcast, trial attorneys Paul Motz, Shareholder, Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney and Matt Moffett, Partner, Gray, Rust, St. Amand, Moffett & Brieske, LLP, join CSI Litigation Consultants Dr. Steve Wood and Dr. Bill Kanasky to discuss the topic of attorney credibility and attorney...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— January 2021 — 349 views Anti-reptile Confirmatory research Depositions Exploratory research Focus groups Insurance Jurors Jury consulting Litigation psychology Mock trials Nuclear verdicts Reptile Research Trial consulting Witness training


The Litigation Psychology Podcast #50 - Best practices for video depositions
Video has become common for depositions, mediations, and witness trainings during these days of physical distancing. But appearing on video for these virtual sessions isn't the same as being in person and requires a specific approach and attention to detail to different things. Jackie Arguijo, Vid...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— December 2020 — 336 views Depositions Presentations Webinars Witness training


Jury selection in intellectual property cases - part 2
In part 1 of this topic [1] , we laid the groundwork that two different sets of profile characteristics were needed to reliably identify plaintiff and defendant juror types:   Those who would tend to find (non)infringement and those who would tend to find (in)validity. Part 1 [2] included an analy...
George R. Speckart, Ph.D. - Litigation Psychology
— December 2020 — 303 views Jurors Jury consulting Litigation psychology Research Trial consulting Witness training


Jury selection in intellectual property cases - part 1
Introduction In the early days of patent litigation – when real inventors were suing corporations ( Kearns v. Ford Motor Company ) or corporations were suing each other ( Procter & Gamble v. Kimberly Clark , a.k.a “diaper wars” or Dow v. Exxon Chemical ) -- the scientific approach that was taken i...
George R. Speckart, Ph.D. - Litigation Psychology
— December 2020 — 323 views Focus groups Jurors Jury consulting Litigation psychology Research Scientific method


Survey: Covid-related attitude changes toward industries
* Introduction * All of us have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. Most of us have experienced significant changes in how we socialize, work, and educate our children. Not only are our behaviors affected by the crisis, our way of viewing the world is also affected during this ti...
Lorie Sicafuse, Ph.D. - Litigation Psychology
— December 2020 — 367 views Anti-reptile COVID-19 Jurors Jury consulting Litigation psychology Reptile Research Trucking


The Litigation Psychology Podcast #44 - Healthcare Litigation
Jason Long, Attorney with London | Amburn Attorneys at Law joins the podcast to discuss several healthcare litigation topics. Jason and Dr. Bill Kanasky talk about what the impacts of Covid-19 have been - both good and bad - on witness training [1] , depositions, and some lessons learned thus far....
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— November 2020 — 440 views Anti-reptile COVID-19 Depositions Jurors Jury consulting Litigation psychology Med Mal Reptile Research Trial consulting Witness training


The Litigation Psychology Podcast #43 - Healthcare Litigation
In this episode of The Litigation Psychology Podcast, Dr. Bill Kanasky is joined by Atlanta area trial attorney John E. Hall, Jr., Partner, Hall Booth Smith to discuss healthcare litigation [1] . Bill and John talk about birth injury cases and the importance of understanding the basics of the medi...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— November 2020 — 485 views Confirmatory research Jury consulting Litigation psychology Med Mal Mock trials Nuclear verdicts Research Trial consulting Witness training


The Litigation Psychology Podcast #41 - Nuclear Verdicts
In this special edition of The Litigation Psychology Podcast, Trucking Litigation Attorney Doug Marcello interviews Dr. Bill Kanasky on the subject of nuclear verdicts. They discuss the definition of a nuclear verdict [1] and what causes a nuclear verdict to occur, including the impact of Reptile ...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— October 2020 — 608 views Anti-reptile COVID-19 Jurors Jury consulting Nuclear verdicts Reptile Research Scientific method Trial consulting Trucking Witness training


The impact of social inflation on insurance - a webinar
Insurers complain of a rise of large jury awards, juror anti-business bias and investor-funded litigation. A panel of claims and legal experts examine what social inflation is, what's driving the nuclear verdicts [1] often associated with social inflation, which types of claims are affected most, ...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— October 2020 — 680 views Enterprise risk management Jurors Jury consulting Nuclear verdicts Trial consulting Webinars


Best practices in case research - part II
In the first part of this topic [1] , we provided a primer on juror psychology and introduced the first three factors affecting juror case evaluations. In the final part of this topic, we continue the factors affecting juror case evaluations and discuss the importance of research in evaluating a c...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— October 2020 — 560 views Confirmatory research Exploratory research Focus groups Jurors Jury consulting Litigation psychology Mock trials Presentations Research Trial consulting


Addressing the challenges of healthcare litigation
It's no secret that the healthcare industry has a high volume of litigation. So, what can healthcare companies and healthcare insurers do to better prepare to d efend themselves in their litigation? Our multi-part series on the healthcare industry covers a variety of tools and services that health...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— September 2020 — 720 views Anti-reptile Confirmatory research Depositions Exploratory research Focus groups Jury consulting Litigation psychology Med Mal Mock trials Reptile Research Scientific method Trial consulting Witness training


Best practices in case research - part I
Introduction When managing litigation, every  decision should be made with as deep  an understanding as possible of what  a  future jury would do. But few things are as  complex as trying to predict jury decisions. Valuing a  case requires a deep understanding of the  law,  access to appr...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— September 2020 — 578 views Confirmatory research Exploratory research Jurors Jury consulting Litigation psychology Mock trials Planning Research Trial consulting


The secret weapons of opening statements - part II
In part one of this blog post [1] on the primacy and recency effects of opening statements, we discussed how this concept is often misunderstood by litigators and the philosophy that trial attorneys need to adopt for their opening statements. In the second part, we provide examples of different op...
Bill Kanasky, Jr., Ph.D.
— September 2020 — 602 views Jurors Jury consulting Litigation psychology Mock trials Planning Presentations Research Trial consulting