Jury consultants are the experts of human behavior who assist the attorneys in the selection of jurors. Selecting a jury is a process that requires much research and analysis on different aspects. Jury consultants are the behavior experts who help lawyers in high-profile cases and cases involving high stakes.
Why Are They Expert of Human Behavior
Firstly, the jury consultants are very well read.
- A desirable jury consultant is a Ph.D. holder or a master’s degree holder. The degree may be in behavioral science, political science or other social science.
- A jury consultant can also be a bachelor’s degree holder in criminology or psychology.
- A jury consultant’s specialized academic qualification and the subjects they mastered in are the strength in analyzing a jury.
- Their expertise in sociology and anthropology makes them the judge of human behavior.
When they start the assessment of a jury, their knowledge and the grey matter interprets their observations. Legal proficiency of a jury consultant can turn the tables for you. Some jury consultants study a joint degree in law and social sciences to perform better over their peers. The study of joint degree gives them a better grasp of the things they deal with in the occupation.
What Do They Do
Study of human behavior may seem to be a job in which one lets you know the about nature and of the other person. A thing or two about the working style or whether the person is active or lazy. However, human behavior experts have a lot more than that to do.
They observe patterns in the array of physical actions of the jury. These actions are then linked with the situation that created the need for a particular action.
They are usually hired for complex civil litigation and criminal trials. In such cases, the observable emotion associated with the case can decide the mood and mindset of the jury. Also, if the lawyer hits the right notes, then the victory can be certain.
Pre-Trial Assistance
Jury consultant starts working before the trials commence. As mentioned earlier, the work of jury analyst requires research. They perform in-depth research into the possible interpretation of the jury’s gestures and body language. Background research becomes a vital part of a jury consultant’s work. They have a role in drafting analytical report for the lawyers that will assist them to prepare their defense or formulate their acquisitions. Jury consultants conduct Mock Jury trials to ensure proficiency in selection system.
Trials
During the trials, they help the lawyers in developing a trial strategy. They help witnesses in framing the statements exactly to the need of the case. They give insights about the body language and speech pattern and what they reflect about the jury. They help in shaping the perspective of the jurors. The ambition is to make sure of the desired outcome.
What The Required Skill
The communication and interpersonal skills of high standards can improve the performance of the jury consultants in the selection process. Being a good speaker and excellent presentation skills can be the added advantage that is detrimental is gaining the favorable outcome. Analysis requires the use of statistical software and knowledge of social sciences. A consultant who is aware of the terminology and procedure of legal matter can add more value in coaching the witnesses.
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