THE TLG STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

At The Litigation Group, jury research is both art and science. Our statistical analysis of specialized data enables us to interpret results for our clients that go far beyond most jury consulting firms.

The Litigation Group's careful development of case materials and questionnaires ensures high levels of reliability and validity to deliver exceptionally predictive findings. While our in-depth reports and presentations of research findings do more than simply expound data, they include strategic recommendations and ideas that will help the trial team position the case most effectively, and identify ideal types of juror for each case.

The Litigation Group's unique research capabilities uncover a meaningful understanding of what jurors are thinking and how they make decisions throughout the case?but more importantly?we impart a critical understanding of why those jurors made such decisions and offer solutions that help trial teams better deliver their arguments. With help from The Litigation Group's experienced perspectives and scientifically sound research, your trial team's strategic decisions will be better-informed based on substantial social-scientific conclusions, which is a critical step towards your success at trial.

Next: Step 1 - Initial Preparation for Jury Research >

THE TLG STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

Step 1   Initial Preparation for Jury Research
The Litigation Group's modular jury research services are tailored to a client's specific needs for a particular case. Our research is designed to provide valuable information regarding how jurors interpret case-specific facts and issues, and present a clear understanding of how pre-existing attitudes will effect the jurors' decision making process.

TLG Jury Research Goals and Objectives:

• Test Strengths Weaknesses in Case Position
• Study the Jurors' Decision Making Process
• Identify Specific Issues, Facts and Evidence Relevant to Jurors' Decision Making
• Study Deliberation Group Dynamics
• Understand How Pre-existing Attitudes, Biases, Experiences and Knowledge Affect the Jurors' Interpretation of the Case Facts and Issues
• Assess the Effects of Corporate Image and Goodwill on the Jurors' Decision Making Process
• Analyze WHY the jurors made the verdict decisions they did during the research to assist the trial team in structuring a case position to either alter or replicate the outcome
• Identify Demographic and Psychographic Characteristics which Profile Jurors Predisposed FOR and AGAINST the Client
• Assess the Case Risk and Potential Damage Volatility

Next: Step 2 - Venue Profiling and Recruiting >

THE TLG STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

Step 2   Venue Profile and Recruiting
The venue's demographic characteristics will be established according to the census demographics of the area and a panel of mock jurors will be recruited to accurately reflect the jury pool. The Litigation Group's research tests a jury panel similar to the type of panel you will face during voir dire. Most of The Litigation Group's jury research projects consist of approximately 50-65 mock jurors in order to assert "knowledge claims" with relatively high levels of confidence.

Next: Step 3 - Research Instrument and Questionnaire Design >

THE TLG STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

Step 3   Research Instrument and Questionnaire Design
The Litigation Group takes great care in developing the proper instruments and questionnaires that ultimately ensure high levels of reliability (accuracy) and validity (truth). Our research team members are properly credentialed and thoroughly trained to deliver extremely accurate and remarkably predictive findings from each research project. All attitude instruments are custom designed for each specific case.

During the research, the jurors will complete the following questionnaires:

PRE-ATTITUDE PHASE-?Questionnaires completed prior to the subjects' hearing of the case stimulus effect

• Demographics (Both Quantitative and Qualitative Data)
• Knowledge and experience (Quantitative and Qualitative Data)
• General attitudes (Quantitative and Qualitative Data)
• Lifestyle (Quantitative)
• Case specific pre-attitudes (Quantitative and Qualitative Data)
• Corporate image and knowledge (Quantitative and Qualitative Data)

DURING THE RESEARCH PROCESS and POST-PRESENTATIONS-?Questionnaires completed during the research process and after hearing all of the case stimulus effect

• Rating the parties involved & general assessment(Quantitative)
• Affective measurement of parties (Quantitative)
• Verdict, damages and responsibility (Quantitative)
• Interpretation, retention and importance (Qualitative)
• Witness assessment (Quantitative and Qualitative Data)
• Post-stimulus case issues (Quantitative and Qualitative Data)
• Post-deliberation attitudes (Quantitative and Qualitative Data)

Next: Step 4 - Preparing the Case Stimulus >

THE TLG STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

Step 4   Preparing the Case Stimulus
The Litigation Group will assist the trial team in the preparation of the case presentation stimulus and videos. We ask the trial team to write scripts for both the plaintiff's and the defendant's case-in-chief in order to give our research team the opportunity to react to the written scripts, to ensure the presentations are balanced, and to make certain that our case-in-chief is competing against the strongest possible opposition. We advise trial teams to adopt a conservative approach regarding admissibility of controversial case facts and issues; giving our adversary reasonable latitude in their case-in-chief, while holding our case to a much more stringent standard. This worst-case scenario approach enables us to test a broader range of attitudes and ensures validity by preventing the ultimate case position (post-research findings) from hinging on particular facts and/or issues that may not get to be admitted at the time of trial.

The primary means of presenting the relevant case evidence to the mock jurors is through the opening and closing presentation videos. However, The Litigation Group also incorporates the testimony of key witnesses into the case stimulus, and asks jurors to evaluate the witnesses on a number of key attributes including honesty, persuasion, deceptiveness and impact on verdict.

Next: Step 5 - Conducting the Research and Facilitating Deliberations >

THE TLG STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

Step 5   Conducting the Research and Facilitating Deliberations
The Litigation Group's distinctive research design consists of a rigorous two-day, 22-hour exercise in which mock jurors are deeply immersed in the case while their attitudes and opinions are questioned and studied throughout every step of the way. After viewing case-related stimuli?including videotape of extensive opening arguments from both sides, the testimony of up to nine witnesses and final closing arguments?mock jurors' reactions and beliefs are recorded on a host of variables and attributes, including verdict, witness credibility, impact of testimony, responsibility, party ratings, hurt, anger and damages. During all stages of research, mock jurors' values are measured using approximately six specialized questionnaires and over 500 custom-designed quantitative and qualitative questions.

The final section of the research features The Litigation Group's unique deliberation process, which typically lasts 3-4 hours as jurors discuss the case until they reach a verdict while the research team, trial team, and client observe first hand the "jurors' perspective" on the case via close-circuit television. After time has expired (or a verdict is rendered), each jury is debriefed and administered a final post-deliberation questionnaire to identify their beliefs about the most important issues in the case.

Next: Step 6 - Analysis and Report Preparation >

THE TLG STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

Step 6   Analysis and Report Preparation
The Litigation Group provides statistical analysis of different pre-attitude variables along with post-stimulus verdict and specific case issue attitudes, which is the basis for our development of a specific Juror Profile, Case Risk Assessment, Case Position, Case Themes, and Strategic Recommendations.

The hallmark of The Litigation Group is that we delve deeper into communication and argumentative issues as well as the complexities of juror decision-making with our in-depth post-research analysis. Our post-research analysis provides highly predictive and valid findings, and is more comprehensive than any other jury-consulting firm in the nation.

Next: Step 7 - Presentation of the Research Findings >

THE TLG STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

Step 7   Presentation of the Research Findings
For jury research to be truly powerful as a trial preparation tool, the research must answer why the mock jurors' verdict decisions turned out the way they did. Other consultants simply summarize outcomes, but we provide insight into how people might interpret the facts of a case and come to conclusions. The Litigation Group's distinctive research methods reveal not just what happened during the mock trial and deliberations?but also why jurors made their decisions.

Many times, the issues that a trial team believes are important to the case are not the same issues defined as important by jurors. The Litigation Group's research findings highlight the important factors mock jurors used to make their decisions and other relevant juror concerns. Our research presentation generates strategic recommendations that will assist the trial team in positioning their case most effectively to achieve success with the jury at trial. We also construct a juror profile to identify the types of jurors who will be predisposed for and against your case based upon both demographic and psychographic characteristics from the data collected.

Understanding why jurors make decisions is no easy task, but it is key to The Litigation Group's high-standards of research. It takes hard work, experience and in-depth post-research analysis to gain that understanding. The Litigation Group's comprehensive statistical analysis examines issue attitudes and how those attitudes are linked to juror verdict decisions, which is critical to success at trial. Most jurors don't think like lawyers, but we can help your trial team think like a jury in order to get your message accepted.

Next: Step 8 - Jury Selection Assistance >

THE TLG STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

Step 8   Jury Selection Assistance
Most of our clients find the next logical step after completing research is to utilize The Litigation Group's expertise in jury selection. Our team can help you draft voir dire questionnaires that clearly underscore the types of jurors who are most likely to favor your arguments and advise your trial team on the crucial questions to ask during the selection process.

In cases where the judge allows for a detailed questionnaire prior to voir dire, our analytical spreadsheet and numerical rating system lets the trial team know in advance which members of the jury pool are best suited to sit on the jury and which should be struck. By contrast, in cases where the judge does not allow much time for preparations, The Litigation Group can help your trial team select the best jury "the old-fashioned way," by making gut-level decisions that rely on the strength of over 25 years of experience and a sharp grasp on the chemistry of human nature.

Next: Step 9 - Other Services >

THE TLG STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

Step 9   Other Services
Some cases have special requirements and some trial teams have additional needs that require a more custom research design. To meet all of our clients' needs, The Litigation Group offers a range of services that include:

Research Services
Jury Research
Trial Simulations
Focus Groups
Experimental Designs
Arbitration Panel Research
Venue Phone Survey

At-Trial Services
Jury Selection
Shadow Juries
Voir Dire Assistance
Opening Statement Evaluation and Refinement
In-Trial Case Consulting

Other Trial Services
Witness Evaluation and Preparation
Post-Trial Juror Interviews
Jury Graphics

Next: Verdict News >