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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 — 134 views Confirmatory research Exploratory research Focus groups Jury consulting Litigation psychology Mock trials Research Scientific method Trial consulting


Litigation Psychology Podcast #62 - Mentoring attorneys
Well-known speaker and author Frank Ramos, Jr., Partner with Clarke Silverglate, joins the podcast to share a bit about his background and his approach to mentoring young, early career attorneys. Frank talks about his recommendations for attorneys to focus on training for both soft and hard skills...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— March 2021 — 205 views Social media


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 — 154 views Confirmatory research Exploratory research Focus groups Jury consulting Litigation psychology Mock trials Research Scientific method Trial consulting


Alternative exploratory research designs in litigation - part 3
In part 1 of this topic , we introduced the concept of alternative formats for Exploratory Research and detailed the specifics of a traditional Focus Group. In part 2 , we described two alternate Focus Group designs: Graphics Research and Juror Profile Research. In this final section, we explain...
George R. Speckart, Ph.D. - Litigation Psychology
— March 2021 — 168 views Exploratory research Focus groups Jurors Litigation psychology Mock trials Presentations Research Scientific method Trial consulting Witness training


Alternative exploratory research designs in litigation - part 2
In part 1 of this topic , we introduced the concept of alternative formats for Exploratory Research or “different types of Focus Groups” and detailed the specifics of a traditional Focus Group. In part 2, we describe two alternate Focus Group designs: Graphics Research and Juror Profile Research....
George R. Speckart, Ph.D. - Litigation Psychology
— February 2021 — 188 views Exploratory research Focus groups Litigation psychology Mock trials Research Scientific method Trial consulting


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 at Courtroom Sciences, Inc. has confirmed these assumptions as well.   This becomes problematic when considering that jurors in a heightened state of emotion have les...
Steve Wood, Ph.D. - Litigation Psychology
— February 2021 — 264 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 , 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, and e...
George R. Speckart, Ph.D. - Litigation Psychology
— February 2021 — 200 views Exploratory research Focus groups Litigation psychology Research Scientific method Trial consulting


Discovery obligations during the pandemic
Having resolved discovery disputes related to the COVID-19 pandemic for almost a year, trial courts have considered myriad creative discovery objections concerning whether and how litigants must present their witnesses for deposition testimony. With increased familiarity and experience resolving w...
Jae Ellis - Courtroom Sciences, Inc.
— February 2021 — 257 views Court reporting COVID-19 Depositions Paralegals


The Litigation Psychology Podcast #56 - Trucking & Covid-19
This episode of The Litigation Psychology Podcast focuses on how the trucking and transportation industry responded to the pandemic and the impressions, attitudes, and beliefs that jurors have toward transportation and trucking companies. Dr. Steve Wood discusses research that CSI has conducted ...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— February 2021 — 307 views COVID-19 Jurors Litigation psychology Research Trucking & transportation Witness training


How jurors evaluate cases and determine liability - part 2
In None part 1 of this article , we established the process and decision-making approach that jurors utilize in determining witness credibility and liability, including their evaluation of communications. In part 2, we take a deeper dive into the communications aspect. * * * * * The real “tells...
George R. Speckart, Ph.D. - Litigation Psychology
— February 2021 — 302 views Jurors Jury consulting Litigation psychology Mock trials Scientific method Trial consulting Witness training


How jurors evaluate cases and determine liability - part 1
At trial during the plaintiff’s case for In re  Burlington Northern Inc., 822 F.2d 518 (5 th Cir. 1987), lead defense counsel was viewing videotaped deposition testimony for the first time from one of the key witnesses, a CEO, and founder of one of the defendant companies.  “I nearly fell out of m...
George R. Speckart, Ph.D. - Litigation Psychology
— January 2021 — 396 views Jurors Jury consulting Litigation psychology Mock trials Scientific method 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 ). Defense attorneys returning to the courthouse for trials in coming months will face a jury venire composed of many people ...
Melissa Loberg, Ph.D. & Lorie Sicafuse, Ph.D.
— January 2021 — 432 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 — 482 views COVID-19 Depositions Jurors Jury consulting Litigation psychology Mental health 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 — 494 views Anti-reptile Confirmatory research Depositions Exploratory research Focus groups Insurance defense Jurors Jury consulting Litigation psychology Mock trials Nuclear verdicts Reptile Research Trial consulting Witness training


Jury selection in intellectual property cases - part 2
In part 1 of this topic , 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 included an analysis of...
George R. Speckart, Ph.D. - Litigation Psychology
— December 2020 — 398 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 — 423 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 — 473 views Anti-reptile COVID-19 Jurors Jury consulting Litigation psychology Reptile Research Trucking & transportation


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 , depositions, and some lessons learned thus far. Th...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— November 2020 — 547 views Anti-reptile COVID-19 Depositions Health care / med mal Jurors Jury consulting Litigation psychology 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 . Bill and John talk about birth injury cases and the importance of understanding the basics of the medical...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— November 2020 — 590 views Confirmatory research Health care / med mal Jury consulting Litigation psychology 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 and what causes a nuclear verdict to occur, including the impact of Reptile an...
CSI - Courtroom Sciences Inc
— October 2020 — 724 views Anti-reptile COVID-19 Jurors Jury consulting Nuclear verdicts Reptile Research Scientific method Trial consulting Trucking & transportation Witness training