Stranger Danger

By Amy Davis, Law Office of Amy M. Davis

One morning in early August 2020, Dave, a single pharmaceutical salesman and frequent
traveler, sat in the front row of the jury box. He avoided eye contact and kept his body well 
within the confines of his seat, like his fellow jurors. During jury selection, when asked if 
there is anything that would prevent him from focusing on the evidence and rendering a fair 
verdict, Dave responded, “Strangers are dangers and being surrounded by ‘stranger danger’
scares me to death.” Neighboring jurors nodded their heads in agreement. 

Despite the auspicious beginnings, after this trial, which resulted in a favorable verdict for the
injured plaintiff, post-verdict interviews revealed that the jurors who deliberated to a verdict felt
“A Call to Action.” After their initial insecurities were allayed, they were hungry to engage with
each other and to do their juror jobs. In the course of my work as a trial consultant, I have
observed a similar pattern of transformation emerging among many jurors over the last several
months.

The Litigation Section is hosting a program on July 26 about understanding that transformation and how it applies to jury trials. All registrants will receive the full article previewed above.

Stranger Danger: Relating to Jurors in a COVID/Post-COVID World
Zoom Webinar
Tuesday, July 26, 12 - 1 PM
Register here!