Hamilton Zephyrhawke Trial Consulting
Winning a case in a court of law requires competent attorneys. In today’s world, opinion polls, litigation, and surveys have become the heart of the American Social Landscape.
What are some of the critical areas surveys are applied? Well, with regards to case laws, one such area survey is applied is the preparation for jury trials.
You are now wondering what type of survey I’m referring to. Pay keen attention as the discussion below is based on what you need to know about jury surveys, and most importantly how to use them when preparing for a trial.
The Meaning of Juror Survey
A juror survey is mainly concerned with conducting a research survey of the public opinion from a particular sample in the trial jurisdiction. The jury residents are usually interviewed through mobile phones to give their opinions, background characteristics, and their perception of relevant parties.
How You can use Juror Surveys in Preparation for a Trial
What purpose do juror surveys serve? Some of the common applications of juror surveys include testing the waters, issue preference, and jury selection.
- Testing the Waters
One thing to consider before trying a case before the jurors are to understand the trial climate based on the opinions of the jurors. Aspects of the trial climate include:
• Potential themes. Opinions play an important role in determining the theme of the case because they are used in persuasion at trial. Therefore, it is the work of jurors to come up with a strong theme because it will be used as a filtering mechanism for evidence processing.
• Values and opinions. Understanding how the jurors will react to a certain case is fully dependent on opinions.
• Perception of the litigants. Understanding the juror’s image of a particular party is key because the image acts as the context from which the jurors will interpret the actions of the party. - Issue Preference
• Reaction to different issues. Several issues in a case can be reviewed in a single survey.
• Preference for guilt. During the survey, jurors are asked for their preferences. Such preferences are used to provide the basis for evaluating a juror’s initial preconception of liability.
• Change of venue. This is the final application of the juror survey. It is intended to address whether a party is fit for a fair trial in the trial community. - Jury Selection
This is among the known common uses of juror survey, both in terms of voir dire development and juror profile.
• Voir dire development. A greater way to conduct voir dire is to be aware of the questions that are of importance.
• Juror profile. To determine the jurors who are unfavorable or favorable to a party, their decision preferences, opinions, and background characteristics are used to establish their profiles.
Juror surveys may also be used in civil litigations. These surveys provide attorneys with an uncountable number of benefits as they prepare for a trial. At Hamilton Zephyrhawke Trial consulting, you get to interact with attorneys specialized in this area.
