Jury consultant Edward Schwartz, PhD explains.
Q. What kinds of things turn off jurors?
Arrogance is a real turn off. An expert would be wise to never justify an opinion with reference to “my three advanced degrees and twenty years in the field.” Also, an expert would do well to avoid jargon whenever possible. No juror wants to feel as if the expert has given up on actually explaining things – so use plain English.
Dr. Schwartz will be speaking at the SEAK National Expert Witness Conference to be held on May 3-4, 2014 in Orlando, FL.
Effective Presentation of Expert Witness Testimony
Edward P. Schwartz Ph.D.
Dr. Schwartz will explain and demonstrate how expert witnesses using clarity, coherence, comprehension, and credibility can be particularly effective and persuasive. He will discuss why some experts are liked, respected, and effective and why some are not. Dr. Schwartz will offer practical suggestions on how experts of all disciplines can improve their testimony and effectiveness.
Edward P. Schwartz Ph.D. is a jury consultant for TrialGraphix, a national jury consulting firm, in its New York office. He has conducted jury behavior research, aided with witness preparation, and consulted in dozens of cases. He has taught at Harvard, Yale, and Boston University and is a member of the American Society of Trial Consultants. Dr. Schwartz holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business as well as an MSL degree from Yale Law School. He also holds a BA in economics from Yale University.