This webinar will cover multiple aspects of conducting social and other online research on potential jurors. The presenters will discuss practical and specific issues, such as which sites to use and which are the most useful, using public record information like mortgage and arrest histories, current relevant ethics guidelines on what those conducting the research can and cannot do, how this type of information affects your jury selection and strike strategy, and what to do when a juror does not disclose information found online.
Clint Townson:
Dr. Clint Townson is a jury consultant for The Focal Point operating out of their Dallas, TX office. He completed a PhD at Michigan State University with a dissertation on the anchoring effect and an MA from the University of Delaware with a thesis on expert witness perceptions. He has an extensive background in statistical analysis and psychological theory related to jurors, and has applied these skills in the consulting profession for the last few years. His first foray into consulting began with social media background searches for various criminal and civil cases, and also briefly worked with a private investigator. Currently, he conducts focus groups and mock trials on high-stakes cases, and specializes in developing juror profiles based on subsequent data analysis.
Elizabeth Patterson:
Elizabeth Patterson began her career as an investigator in 2014 after graduating with a Criminology degree from the University of South Florida. Elizabeth is a licensed private investigator and currently holds the agency license for Ethos Risk Services in the state of Florida. During her career, Elizabeth has conducted and managed thousands of investigations including high exposure liability claims, undercover purchases of counterfeit products, and comprehensive background checks. Most recently, Elizabeth’s team, in conjunction with the FBI, identified fraud rings across the United States which led to the arrest of multiple individuals and the repossession of over five million dollars of fraudulently diverted products. Elizabeth’s team, guided by Ethos’ core values, has established the industry standard of quality results obtained ethically and efficiently.
Leslie Ellis:
Dr. Leslie Ellis is a Director in DecisionQuest’s Washington, D.C. office. She has been conducting research on jury, judicial and arbitrator decision making for 25 years and has consulted on hundreds of cases. She works with clients on high-risk and complex civil and white-collar criminal matters to develop themes and trial strategies, conducts mock jury and bench trials as well as mock arbitrations, and assists with case assessment, witness preparation and jury selection. She frequently speaks on the topics of jury, judicial and arbitrator decision making both in the US and in Europe. She has a Ph.D. and M.A. in Social Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a B.A. in Psychology from Northwestern University.