mock trial

For almost eighteen (18) years Research Strategies, Inc. has provided Mock Trial Recruiting for some of the most difficult and critical court cases throughout the United States. Our legal market research methodologies have been accepted by over seventeen (17) federal district courts. Research Strategies, Inc. started with DecisionQuest and Trial Graphics; and our reputation has spread with trial consultants and national law firms from coast-to-coast.

Recently one of our legal clients referred to getting “regurgitated” potential jurists when they previously used Focus Group facilities for their Mock Trial recruits. The term is descriptive and true! Most Focus Group facilities recruit from lists. Their potential recruits are familiar with a variety of research methodologies. They become conditioned on how to answer screeners and questionnaires. This includes not admitting to having previously attended legal Focus Groups, Mock Trials, Community Attitude Studies, Shadow Juries, etc. Many times in frequently sampled markets, these potential jurists have signed up with multiple Focus Group facilities and legal recruiters. And after time they refer to themselves as research experts. Plus recruit lists are typically weighted with college students, unemployed, underemployed, disabled, etc. In short they follow the money!

Research Strategies, Inc. is one the largest national RDD recruiters. We offer the capabilities of reaching every ZIP Code, town/city, county, parish, providence and state in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean with precise geographic and demographic accuracy. Our Research Analysts are very capable of sharing our collective experience in writing recruiting screeners to offer a clear synopsis of each potential jurist’s profile. These Research Analysts can also offer you assistance in finding the most convenient location for your Legal Focus Group/Mock Trial recruits. Research Strategies, Inc. has experience with over 800 suitable locations for Legal Focus Groups/Mock Trials from Missoula, Montana to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Our seasoned Telephone Researchers are well versed in getting recruits to answer the most difficult of screeners. Their entry is essential in providing your Legal Focus Group/Mock Trial with a good mix of full-time employed, part-time employed and owner/self-employed recruits. Research Strategies, Inc. screens against previous research participants, offering your case a true representation of the jury pool. Our recruits are more likely to tell you “what they think” and “not what they think you want to hear.”

Research Strategies, Inc. offers your case the best practical, common sense means to provide your Legal Focus Group or Mock Trial with the best representation of the potential jury pool. We deliver accuracy; the best risk reduction tool for your case!

Eugene A. Talbott
President

Shadow jury refers to a group of mock jurors paid to observe a trial and report their reactions to a jury consultant hired by one of the litigants. The shadow jurors provide counsel with information about the jury’s possible reaction to the trial. Shadow jury acts as a surrogate for the real jury.

Research Strategies, Inc. was recently asked to assist in a quickly pulled together Shadow Jury Recruit, where we used RDD and the other recruiting company used Database recruiting. The difference in the outcome of the recruiting was stark.
To properly explain the primary differences, it is necessary to further outline our approach to recruiting. We first must have the zip code where the facility for said event is located. This enables Research Strategies’ analysts to accurately pinpoint zip codes approximately 15 miles from the event facility. We have learned, after 20+ years of recruiting, that 15 miles is a reasonable distance, potential respondents will consider traveling to an event. This range also gives Research Strategies, Inc. the potential to match the demographics of the market. What enhances this process is that we can accurately match income and ethnicity to each zip code and can subsequently, based on U.S. Census data, call potential interested respondents thus accurately matching the demographics. As an added bonus to the client, we always attempt to recruit gainfully employed individuals first and then fill in as needed with non-working people.
Now the reasons we are so different are…
Research Strategies is one of the country’s best-unknown RDD (Random Digit Data) samplers. This technical process ensures our clients that the research is being conducted with individuals who have not been preconditioned by being a part of national research panels or previously subjected to other qualitative and quantitative research methodologies as found with individuals queried from research lists. The advantage gained by RDD is that the research participants are “fresh” and do not have any preconceived opinions about a product or service or have not formulated a perception of themselves as being legal research experts.

AND Research Strategies uses a Stratified sampling methodology to provide our clients’ telephone research with an accurate geographic and demographic representation of the marketplace on either a micro or macro level, thus enabling us to match the jury pool. Based on United States Postal Service data, Research Strategies can sample street-by-street or by residential ZIP Codes for a town, city, county, state or the entire United States. This assures the sample weighting is accurate to current residential populations, data that is updated every six (6) months versus United States Census Bureau data that is recalculated every ten (10) years. Our stratified sample delivers an accurate representation by:
• Education mix
• Age mix
• Gender mix
• Other demographic requirements of the trial venue market

As mentioned previously, the outcome of the recruit was starkly different using RDD versus Database recruiting. Their approach was to contact people in their database from the area in question and to quickly locate individuals who were capable of going at the last minute, almost without regard to employment and or background. Our RDD approach yielded quality respondents who were gainfully employed at a rate of 62.5% versus the database recruiter, which was 25%.

Patricia Rhinehart
Vice President
Research Strategies, Inc.

Tag Archives — mock trial

“Regurgitated” Potential Jurists

Bringing Light to a Shadow Jury