"Strategic support for
arbitration and trial,
anywhere in the country."
Focus Groups & Mock Trials
With this information, Bradshaw Litigation can provide you with a complete case evaluation and risk assessment. Every mock trial we conduct is tailor made for the specific case. We begin by evaluating all case material and meeting with members of your firm to discuss your options and recommend a strategy. We then make all logistical arrangements (e.g., research facility, recruitment of participants) and prepare all stimulus materials, questionnaires, and informed consent forms.
Our summary of this research will include recommendations regarding settlement options and/or trial strategies (e.g., key points, potential problems, demonstrative evidence). Bradshaw Litigation will also provide you with a DVD recording of all deliberations so you can see first hand what is going on in the jury room. When necessary, this also serves as a valuable negotiation tool.
Venue Analysis & Public Opinion Polls
Public opinion sampling usually consists of one or more surveys administered over the phone and the information provided can serve many purposes. Phone surveys are a quick and effective way to obtain community reaction to particular aspects of a case, which can help guide discovery or fine-tune trial strategy. More detailed surveys can also be used to identify predictors of biases, which is extremely valuable during jury selection. From a predictive standpoint, phone surveys can be more informative than other research methods because the sample size is typically much larger, which increases the statistical power.
If your case has received extensive media attention, Bradshaw Litigation can also perform a media content analysis to get an accurate picture of how your client has been portrayed. We will administer detailed surveys to assess the community's reaction to the pretrial publicity to determine if your client's right to a fair trial has been compromised.
You will learn what percent of the venue has been exposed to media reports of the case and how they have been influenced by that information. Our report will provide you with an assessment of all local newspaper, Internet, and televised reports, as well as results from public opinion surveys administered to jury eligible community members in your county and jury eligible community members in a similar, distant county. This report will help you determine if a change of venue is necessary and, if so, provide you with the numbers to support your motion in court.
