More Than a Demographic Profile When researching potential jurors, it is easy to start with the basics. How old are they? What do they do for a living? Where do they live? Are they married? Do they have children? These demographic details can help create an initial picture of who a potential juror is, but they only tell part of the story. Two people can look remarkably similar on paper and still approach the same set of facts, arguments, and evidence in completely different ways....

Think about the last time you met someone for the first time. Before they even finished introducing themselves, you probably had some kind of impression. Maybe they seemed friendly, confident, nervous, or trustworthy. Or maybe something about them immediately made you uneasy. The strange part is that you may have formed that impression before you consciously decided what you thought of them. Research from Princeton University found that people can form impressions of an unfamiliar face after...

Before a trial begins, litigation teams spend significant time preparing for voir dire. Attorneys review questionnaires, develop voir dire questions, identify potential challenges, and try to understand the jury pool they may soon face. In many firms, that research may become one of the many responsibilities handled by a paralegal or other member of the litigation team. ABA Model Rule 5.3 specifically recognizes that lawyers may use nonlawyer assistants and outside services to assist with...