Jan 04, 2012 · Why would some lawyers use an informal friendly and casual tone with the jury? They're using a narrative style. Which might a lawyer use in a hook based on facts? photographs. {apex} What is a...
Jan 20, 2014 · They Use Storytelling – Lawyers tell a story that paints a picture; taking the audience from beginning to end, and make them feel as if they were actually present at the time of the crime. They choose their words carefully, keeping judges and jurors enthralled with strong adjectives and verbs, and they finish off with an emotionally-appealing, dramatic ending.
Jun 19, 2012 · So what can a defense attorney do to let the jury know 1) he cares about the jury experience, and 2) he’s fair and credible? Here are five techniques for engaging with the jury. 1) Eye contact and body language. Yes, the first technique is arguably the simplest. Make eye contact with the jury when you’re talking to them.
Jun 28, 2018 · A good attorney will never use big words or heavy legal terms during voir dire. Rather, they’ll be straightforward and talk like they would in any social occasion. They won’t, for example, say “voir dire.” Rather, they’ll say, “jury selection.” They won’t say, …
Jury duty, as much as some people dislike, is still an incredibly important, incredibly fundamental part of our justice system. Jury duty empowers ordinary citizens to decide another citizen’s fate, and that’ s a powerful ability indeed.
The jury is far and away the most important part of a trial. As I wrote in my last post on the judiciary, the judge decides what evidence goes to the jury and how that evidence is framed, among other things. Regardless, it’s still the jury who decides the final outcome. In that sense each attorney is a supplicant, ...
From the plaintiff’s standpoint, they are a chance to get justice and hold a guilty party accountable for a crime or other wrong. In a civil case, the jury will determine the degree of fault any given party holds, which will have a direct effect on the award amount you will receive.
Jury selection is a bit like ping pong, volleyball or tennis game where there’s no out of bounds. The ball is always in motion, and there’s a constant back-and-forth going, where it’s important to always react to what you’re getting, without hesitation.
Picking the right jury is the difference between winning and losing a case. The greatest mistake that an attorney will make is trying to find a jury that’s biased towards their side, rather than trying to find one that’s as impartial as possible. Trying to find a jury that’s anything less than fair can be a fast path to losing a case , and a good lawyer knows this.
Voir Dire is the process of interviewing potential jurors, a preliminary interview where each side gets to talk to the jury. This is a key part of how lawyers pick jurors. It affords the attorney the opportunity to work out bias, pick those jurors that will most benefit their case, and eliminate those who present a danger or a problem.
From a defense standpoint, most of the jurors that look bad for the prosecution are good for the defense. You want people who can relate to the defense, and who were on the defending end of an injury case. You want business owners and managers and people who are connected to insurance providers, those in favor of tort reform and those who have a disdain for these kinds of lawsuits.
According to Diamond Reporting, a lawyer’s overall aim should be to be perceived as trustworthy by everyone you encounter, especially in a trial or deposition scenario. So in order to win over and influence clients, judges and jurors alike, they recommend that you should:
According to Diamond Reporting, a lawyer’s overall aim should be to be perceived as trustworthy by everyone you encounter, especially in a trial or deposition scenario. So in order to win over and influence clients, judges and jurors alike, they recommend that you should: 1 Show control and dominance of by making yourself appear physically larger with a wider stance or with your hands on your hips, 2 Do not cover your mouth to avoid being seen as a liar or as deceptive, 3 Display confidence and power by tenting your fingers and refrain from clutching edge of desk or table so as not to seem “desperate” or nervous. 4 Observe the jury closely, find out who the thought leader is and address your arguments primarily to this person, 5 Watch judges for subtle facial cues that could indicate negativity towards you, your client, or opposing counsel or clients. This can give you great insight into your next move, 6 Act as a courtroom leader by making everyone feel as comfortable as possible, earning you the respect of jurors, judges and even opposing counsel, and 7 Exercise objections carefully in a firm tone of voice, neither angry nor aggressive.
Jury selection is not only–nor even mostly–about selecting (or deselecting) jurors. Your objectives in jury selection are: 1) to build rapport with the jurors , forming a group to include you; 2) to educate the jurors , or to help them educate each other, about the issues in your case; and 3) to find and eliminate unfavorable jurors. If you use voir dire simply to find the jurors whom you want to strike, you're missing out on most of the value of jury selection.
In The Blind Date Rule, I pointed out that the 60 potential jurors, by the time they reach the courtroom, are no longer strangers to each other; they have formed a group.
If the ball hits the floor, ceiling, wall or even leaves the room it can still be, and should be, hit back in the direction of the table." 2
Andrea Blount, Ph.D. ( ablount@dbhjury.com) is a Psychologist, Trial Consultant and Partner with Dodge Blount & Hunter, LLP based in Seattle, WA. She applies her understanding of the interaction between psychology and the law within her practice in civil cases.
The group of The Field Trip Rule has 60 heads and 60 bodies, each one of which is throwing off communications cues every second. It is impossible for any lawyer, talking to 60 people, to listen to and record what one person says and how she says it while tracking the nonverbal communication provided by the other 59.
Paul Scoptur (www.paulscoptur.com) is a trial consultant and trial lawyer with Aiken & Scoptur, S.C. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He wishes he could still dunk a basketball. Mark Bennett gives us 16 rules for better jury selection.
Humorous tone of voice. Keeping your speech humorous with funny anecdotes or quotes keeps the audience in a positive mood. But you should be aware of keeping your tone cheerful and genuine, not mocking or sarcastic.
One of the examples of tones is humor. Genuine humor creates trust and hope and makes your speech memorable. The Greek philosopher Aristotle said that you can persuade others in three ways, by appealing to reason, emotion, or to character.
The tone of voice is an integral part of communication and an effective tool in public speaking. When Kaushik Roy spoke, everyone listened. As a highly revered CEO, he communicated in a way that commanded attentiveness, trust, and respect. His tone of voice conveyed his power as well as position.
In a business scenario, the tone of voice has a direct effect on team dynamics and productivity.
A respectful tone enhances the quality of your communication. It conveys your kindness, humility, and truthfulness.
Motivational speaker Chris Gardner, who inspired the film The Pursuit of Happyness, speaks with conviction and motivates people to tap into their potential and plan for success. A motivational tone keeps people engaged and inspires their personal as well as professional lives.
At a minimum, your signature block should include your full name, title, the company name, and your contact information, including a phone number. This will make it easy for your recipient to identify who you are, what your position is, and how they can best contact you if needed.
Use traditional fonts such as Arial, Calibri, and Times New Roman; these fonts are not only classic, they are easy to read. Stick to the color black, use 10-12 pt., and keep the font and size consistent throughout the email, including in the signature block.
Because of this, it is important that business emails convey a clear message, elicit the desired response, and, above all, ...
Brenda Hazzard has over 30 years’ experience working as a writer and editor in the private and public sectors. She spent over 20 years working for the US Government in Washington and abroad, and spent several years working with the CIA during which she managed a team of writers producing internal briefs on international news, events, and politics. She writes on a variety of topics but loves opportunities to work on projects that cater to her keen interest in international affairs. She considers herself to be an empathetic editor, one who improves a draft but lets the spirit of the writer shine through. She has also worked on dissertations, white papers, newspaper articles, and family histories.
Be sensitive to cultural differences. In some cultures, it may be considered rude to address someone by their first name. In others, discussing certain topics over email may be offensive. Before sending an email, do some homework on what may and may not be appropriate for your recipient.