Litigation Strategy and Case Evaluation
Jury and Venue Research
Recruited participants matching the venire's demographics attend trial and report daily impressions to a consultant. Counsel receives feedback on how testimony and argument are landing.
Participants do not know which party retained them.
Alternative Names:
Shadow Jurors|Surrogate Jury
Why it Matters?
Real-time feedback permits mid-trial adjustment that no pretrial research can provide, including recognizing that a witness is not landing as expected or that a theme is not registering. The cost is substantial across a multi-week trial. Participants must remain unaware of the retaining party to avoid bias, which requires careful recruitment and consultant handling throughout.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
What does a shadow jury provide?
What must be maintained?
