What Do 1,500 People Think About Serving as Jurors During the COVID-19 Pandemic?
"The Jury Is Out" Podcast Provides the Answers
Jul 01, 2020, 10:19 ET
ST. LOUIS, July 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Trial attorneys have had to think outside of the box in order to represent their clients during the COVID pandemic. They have leaned hard on technology to conduct client interviews, to meet filing deadlines, to conduct Zoom conferences with judges and to keep their cases moving. Those attorneys who try cases before juries, however, have hit a stubborn bottleneck: The traditional in-person approach for conducting jury trials is not safe in the age of COVID-19. https://simonlawpc.com/1500-people-think-about-serving-as-jurors-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/
This has led many judges and trial lawyers to wonder whether it is possible to conduct jury trials at a distance. How can we make sure that jurors are able to do their jobs well while keeping them safe? John Campbell, a trial lawyer, law professor and researcher, has brainstormed this issue extensively. Campbell is the founder of Empirical Jury www.empiricaljury.com, which has used scientifically rigorous surveys and statistical analysis to determine what people think about serving as jurors in the age of COVID-19. There's "no need to guess," according to Campbell, who extensively discussed his findings regarding jury attitudes on The Jury is Out, a new podcast produced by the Simon Law Firm in St. Louis, Missouri. Here are a few of Campbell's findings:
- Roughly 3 out of 4 jurors said they were nervous or somewhat nervous about attending a trial because of concerns about Covid-19.
- 46% said they would actively attempt to avoid jury duty all together as a result.
- And a full 30% said they would ask to be excused due to their discomfort serving in close spaces.
- 9% said they would inform the court that if masks were required, they would not or could not comply.
The Jury Is Out provides valuable real-life trial law strategies and techniques to enable trial attorneys to better serve their clients. "Our podcast is recognized by the legal community as a go-to resource for trial lawyers." says John Simon, the managing partner of The Simon Law firm in St. Louis. "Topics range from method to mindset. The idea here is to discuss anything practice-related such as trial preparation, client relations, case selection and courtroom techniques." https://simonlawpc.com/podcasts/the-jury-is-out/
The Simon Law Firm is recognized as one of the "winningest firms in the United States" by The National Law Journal. John Simon has served as lead counsel on hundreds of high-profile personal injury, medical malpractice and defective product cases including more than 150 trials and settlements with awards exceeding $1 million. Erich Vieth is a veteran trial and appellate attorney, writer and law professor. Together, they share their experiences and strategies with listeners based on years of courtroom experience and a shared conviction and passion for understanding and improving the practice of law. https://simonlawpc.com/podcasts/the-jury-is-out/
The Jury is Out is available on iTunes, Spotify, or Podbean. New episodes drop every Wednesday. For additional information or to schedule an interview or appearance, contact Angela Louis at The Simon Law Firm [email protected]
SOURCE The Simon Law Firm, P.C.
