Jury Selection: Getting the Bias Out of the Jury Pool

Learn how biases shape juror perceptions that may result in leaning toward one party over the other and ways to overcome juror reluctance to identify and admit bias.

Bias - the term carries a strongly negative connotation, yet we all have them. Think of them as inclinations, assumptions, general beliefs, and results from a lifetime of experiences. Jurors who are assembled in a room full of strangers, attorneys, and authority in the form of the judge, feel that bias is bad. They often don't want to admit that they have biases - beliefs and life experiences that will direct their attention, provide them with specific insight, and lead them to draw conclusions that are shaped by something other than the evidence. Oftentimes, jurors don't even recognize their biases and/or appreciate just how much their own biases may impact their jury service. Additionally, jurors are reluctant to admit biases even when they are aware of them. This material will focus on explaining juror research, which helps us identify juror bias. Learn about situational variables and contribute to bias in the jury. Discuss how the use of social media may inform your jury selection decisions by allowing you additional insight into a juror. This is a practical talk that will stress pointers that should make your life easier during voir dire and jury selection.

Faculty

David E. Cannon

Trial Innovations