Understanding the Jury at Trial
For anyone whose future lies in the hands of a jury, trying to eke out what jurors think as evidence and witnesses are on display in a trial is a full time occupation. You wonder how much the jury will warm up to the defense attorney’s argument or how influential a specific piece of evidence might be. It’s a multidimensional and shifting mystery that attorneys and their clients– are endlessly working to predict and understand.
Impact of a Juror’s Background
Everyone, jurors included, is an amalgamation of their background and experiences. So it makes sense that jurors come to court with their own views, passions, and biases–and each piece of evidence in a trial will be filtered through those prejudices. Even though judges instruct the jury to reach their conclusions based only on the factual evidence presented in court, it’s impossible to know just how much influence each juror’s history will impact their thinking. For example:
- Many individuals have established views about things like race, gender, sexual orientation, the justice system, police officers, and more, even if that bias is subliminal.
- Financial situation, education, and even zip code can often offer clues to a particular person’s world view.
- Personal stresses in their personal lives —health, conflicts, work, and more– may impact a juror’s patience, views and emotions.
- Past experiences will have led to emotional predilections for or against certain people or circumstances.
- Some people may sympathize deeply with one party in a trial, making it difficult to view a situation with logic or perspective.
Impact of Cognitive Bias
Cognitive bias is another aspect of the way jurors evaluate a case. Sometimes jurors might clutch to evidence that validates preexisting beliefs. Conversely, other jurors may be impacted by first impressions so intensely that they are resistant to future disclosures in a trial. Still others may zero in on a specific positive (or negative) quality in a person and be unable to see any other side to that person.
Voir Dire
The voir dire process is the opportunity for attorneys to select jurors for a particular trial. Lawyers for each side have the chance to question each potential juror, and they do so with an eye toward any bias that may impact a juror’s ability to weigh the evidence in an impartial manner.
What Impacts Thinking?
How can an attorney sway the mind of the jury? In addition to the facts of a case, the attorney’s presentation style is important. The attorney must understand that each witness will be viewed as either credible or self-serving and must adjust accordingly. Finally, the demeanor of the defendant will be dissected by jurors. Of course, sometimes prior knowledge about a case may influence a juror’s thinking. One can only hope that the judge’s instructions will have the heaviest impact on jurors, guiding them to a fair and impartial assessment of the facts and a fair outcome.
Fighting for You
The dedicated and experienced La Plata & Waldorf criminal defense attorneys at The Law Office of Hammad S. Matin, P.A. always fight for the best possible outcomes for our clients. To discuss your situation, schedule a confidential consultation today.
