Jury Selection

In Jury Selection, you'll learn the pitfalls of being clever, charming or overpowering in the courtroom.  You'll be given specific guidance on what should be said in a jury's presence -- and what should not be said.  You'll also learn phrases and questions to use -- and to avoid.  Video clips of the voir dire from an actual tiral illustrate Stern's examples.

Click below description to view an excerpt from:  Trying Cases to Win, Jury Selection that discusses the 7 deadly sins of jury selection.

Key Points Covered:

       Stern highlights the Seven Deadly Sins of Jury Selection:

• SIN #1:  Don't concentrate on humdrum details of juror's lives
• SIN #2:  Don't collaborate unless you want to be identified with other parties
• SIN #3:  Don't do tricks
• SIN #4:  Don't give juror's too much information
• SIN #5:  Don't hide behind burdens of proof or presumption on your favor
• SIN #6:  Don't ask jurors to hold out
• SIN #7:  Don't repeat yourself into oblivion

Detailed Course Outline

Introduction to picking the jury

Two purposes of voir dire

Stereotypes

Put information into the juror

Sin#1: Don't concentrate on humdrum deatils of jurors lives

Have jurors talk about things they are proud of

Sin#2: Don't collaborate unless you want to be identified with other parties

Don't say co-counsel unless you want to collaborate

Sin#3: Do not do tricks

How to put information in

Sin#4: Do not try to put too much information into the juror

The magic words voir dire

Sin#5: Do not hide behind burdens of proof or presumption in your favor

Sin#6: Do not ask jurors to hold out

Put your case into a nutshell and craft one instruction

Sin#7: Do not repeat yourself into oblivion

Prepare your voir dire last

Video stop action of an actual voir dire

Voir Dire of 1st juror

Voir Dire of 2nd Juror

Voir Dire of 3rd juror

End of Video demonstration

Final comments

 

Viewing Time: 1.5 hours