There are many approaches to arguing damages. Some are more appropriate to the facts of a case then others and there is no one approach that fits all cases. While research indicates the benefit of always suggesting the verdict amount you are asking for, keep in mind in some states lawyers are not allowed to suggest a dollar amount as a jury verdict. Washington allows lawyers to do so and there is no exception for a case where it…
Rachel Premak, writing for a career assistance website Ladders, (https://www.theladders.com) wrote an article about things people decide within seconds of meeting you. First impressions are of particular importance to us as trial lawyers. We know that jurors, like everyone else, are continually forming impressions. When they are called to jury service they have a lot of questions and are searching for information. They are looking at people involved in the trial and wondering about their roles as well as forming…
We know the importance of presenting our cases as stories to the jury. In 1996 Dr. Daniel Gross published an article in the Trial Diplomacy Journal about it based on Gerry Spence’s defense in the Ruby Ridge trial in Idaho. The article deals with the place of storytelling in the courtroom. It notes that scholars claim that a narrative is the essence of human symbolic activity because humans are characteristically storytellers. The article notes the importance of the timing of…