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What is the difference between a focus group & mock trial?
When exploring research options, clients often ask about the difference between a Focus Group and a Mock Trial. These terms are often used interchangeably but there are, in fact, important and relevant differences. The distinction between a Focus Group versus a Mock Trial may be thought of primari...
George R. Speckart, Ph.D. - Litigation Psychology
— July 2021 — 63 views Confirmatory research Exploratory research Focus groups Jurors Litigation psychology Mock trials Trial consulting


Litigation Psychology Podcast #80 - The danger of safety
Steve Wood, Ph.D. and Bill Kanasky, Jr., Ph.D. discuss the litigation risks and dangers for companies that make statements like "Safety is our top priority." Steve and Bill talk about how and why that seemingly innocuous statement is neither true nor accurate and how the plaintiff's bar has succes...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— July 2021 — 84 views Anti-reptile Communications Litigation psychology Nuclear verdicts Reptile Trucking & transportation Witness training


Jury trials during a pandemic: what to consider - part 3
In part 1 of this article about the key factors that trial attorneys, in-house counsel, and claims professionals should consider in evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of a civil jury trial in the midst and wake of the coronavirus pandemic, we wrote about jurors’ perceptions of corporatio...
Melissa Loberg, Ph.D. & Lorie Sicafuse, Ph.D.
— July 2021 — 97 views Anti-reptile COVID-19 Jurors Jury consulting Litigation psychology Reptile Research Trial consulting


Jury trials during a pandemic: what to consider - part 2
In part 1 of this article , we covered two of the four key factors that trial attorneys, in-house counsel, and claims professionals should consider in evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of a civil jury trial in the midst and wake of the coronavirus pandemic. In this second part, we discu...
Melissa Loberg, Ph.D. & Lorie Sicafuse, Ph.D.
— July 2021 — 136 views Anti-reptile COVID-19 Jurors Jury consulting Litigation psychology Reptile Research Trial consulting


Litigation Psychology Podcast #78 - Trucking defense software
Steven Bryan, CEO and Doug Marcello, Chief Legal Officer, of Bluewire join the podcast to talk about their new company that uses software to help trucking companies identify reputational vulnerabilities in the defense of their litigation. Steven provides some background on how the company came a...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— July 2021 — 152 views Anti-reptile Insurance defense Nuclear verdicts Reptile Trucking & transportation


Jury trials during a pandemic: what to consider - part 1
Despite the ongoing pandemic, civil jury trials have resumed in many venues throughout the United States. There is little doubt that the frequency of civil jury trials will increase with more widespread distribution of vaccines and the implementation of new social distancing courtroom protocols. C...
Melissa Loberg, Ph.D. & Lorie Sicafuse, Ph.D.
— July 2021 — 161 views Anti-reptile COVID-19 Jurors Jury consulting Litigation psychology Reptile Research Trial consulting


Litigation Psychology Podcast #74 - Emotional witnesses
Attorney Matt LaBeau with Collins Einhorn Farrell joins Dr. Steve Wood to discuss preparing emotional witnesses for deposition. Matt talks about the different types of emotions that witnesses might be struggling with (sadness, anger, nervousness) and how important it is to identify in advance if y...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— June 2021 — 194 views COVID-19 Depositions Litigation psychology Reptile Witness training


Benefits of CSI third-party record retrieval
Everyone involved in litigation knows how critical third-party record retrieval is. However, securing medical, billing, court, employment, or any other type of record is a tedious, time-consuming task that can cause delays in the discovery process and frustrate even the most patient paralegal and ...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— June 2021 — 201 views Paralegals Records Retrieval


Myth #6 - Safety is your top priority
We are going to make a statement that will likely cause severe discomfort for safety directors and risk managers alike – “Safety is NOT your top priority.” We repeat, “Safety is NOT your top priority.” Let us clarify this statement, though. Just because we are saying that safety is not your TOP pr...
Steve Wood, Ph.D. & Sean Murphy
— June 2021 — 338 views Anti-reptile Communications COVID-19 Crisis Litigation psychology Reptile


Litigation Psychology Podcast #73 - Cognitive fatigue
In this episode of The Litigation Psychology Podcast, Dr. Bill Kanasky talks about preventing nuclear settlements at deposition by doing a better job of managing the cognitive fatigue of witnesses during deposition testimony. Scientific evidence makes clear that witnesses begin to fatigue mentally...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— June 2021 — 201 views Anti-reptile Depositions Litigation psychology Nuclear verdicts Reptile Settlements Witness training


Litigation Psychology Podcast #71 - Mental health awareness
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Whitney Burkett, Associate Attorney with Anderson, Rasor & Partners, and CSI Litigation Consultant Dr. Alyssa Parker join Dr. Steve Wood to discuss mental health, and in particular the mental health of witnesses. Whitney and Alyssa discuss the importance of as...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— May 2021 — 237 views COVID-19 Mental health Witness training


Myth #5: All mock trials are the same
In a prior myth , I dispelled the notion that it is too expensive to use a Litigation Consultant. For my next entry in the  Myths of Litigation Science, I turn my attention toward the decision that clients have to make after deciding to engage a Litigation Consultant – price. This can be a  se...
Steve Wood, Ph.D. - Litigation Psychology
— May 2021 — 318 views Confirmatory research Focus groups Litigation psychology Mock trials Research Scientific method Trial consulting


A closer look at real-time feedback devices
Every so often, a client will ask us about usage of hand-held feedback devices, often called Perception Analyzers or “moment-to-moment” data collection systems, for utilization in jury research projects. Being trained researchers at heart, we have conducted extensive research on these devices and ...
George R. Speckart, Ph.D. - Litigation Psychology
— April 2021 — 257 views Confirmatory research Exploratory research Jury consulting Litigation psychology Mock trials Research Scientific method Trial consulting


Litigation Psychology Podcast #65 - Inspired by Kanye
Brent Turman, Partner and Trial Attorney with Bell Nunnally & Martin LLP in Dallas, TX, joins the podcast to talk about how attorneys can draw inspiration from Kanye West in their approach to litigation. Brent uses milestones in Kanye's life and career to illustrate opportunities for litigators in...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— April 2021 — 801 views Communications Jurors Litigation psychology Planning Presentations Trial consulting


Updated guidance from the ABA on remote work
Recently, the American Bar Association shared new guidance for attorneys when working remotely. Coming nearly one year after the start of virtual work for most attorneys because of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Formal Opinion 498 identifies some of the minimum requirements under ABA Model ...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— April 2021 — 326 views COVID-19 Records Retrieval


Litigation Psychology Podcast #63 - Reptile and anchoring
Attorney Nick Rauch with Larson King in St. Paul, Minnesota joins the podcast and talks with Dr. Bill Kanasky about his recent article in For the Defense on counter anchoring and the reverse reptile and how he has used reverse reptile in depositions. Nick explains the concepts of anchoring and cou...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— March 2021 — 419 views Anti-reptile Depositions Litigation psychology Reptile Witness training


Is fear of science costing your firm? - part 2
In the first part of this topic , we introduced the role of science and prediction in litigation and an overview of the jury research industry. In part two, we examine the importance of predictive validity and how it is achieved to provide actionable insight. * * *   * * Establishing Qualificati...
George R. Speckart, Ph.D. - Litigation Psychology
— March 2021 — 350 views Confirmatory research Exploratory research Focus groups Jury consulting Litigation psychology Mock trials Research Scientific method Trial consulting


Is fear of science costing your firm? - part 1
After spending thirty years working with trial teams, the same types of questions seem to continually surface: “How much will a jury award?”  “Will this theme be persuasive?”  “What kinds of jurors will be most receptive to my case?”  Scrutiny of the underlying factual issues underlying these ques...
George R. Speckart, Ph.D. - Litigation Psychology
— March 2021 — 339 views Confirmatory research Exploratory research Focus groups Jury consulting Litigation psychology Mock trials Research Scientific method Trial consulting


Litigation Psychology Podcast #61 - Preparing witnesses
Brad Hughes, trial lawyer with Clark Hill in Los Angeles, joins the podcast to talk about the differences in how he approaches a catastrophic injury case in his transportation litigation work versus a corporate matter. Dr. Bill Kanasky and Brad discuss the increasing presence of Reptile in commer...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— March 2021 — 460 views Anti-reptile Depositions Litigation psychology Reptile Trucking & transportation Witness training


Litigation Psychology Podcast #60 - Managing trucking litigation
Trucking defense attorney Sophia Bernard of Lewis Brisbois in Tampa joins the podcast to talk about transportation and trucking litigation and her process on handling catastrophic cases. She discusses the difficulties of dealing with the emotion of the driver and the importance of recognizing and ...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— March 2021 — 553 views Litigation psychology Reptile Trucking & transportation Witness training