Experienced Advocacy On Your Side
The first aspect of a jury trial is selecting a jury. Which 6 or 12 people will hear the case and decide whether a person is guilty or not guilty? The phrase, “picking a jury” misrepresents what happens in jury selection. Also known as voir dire, a French phrase that means “telling the truth,” jury selection thrives on a direct…
When we suit up for the battle of litigation, each side operates on a group of facts. The reality is these facts to the mind of each party are assumptions made during the course of the preparation for this battle. If we take the time to look at these facts/assumptions through the eyes of a neutral, we find that perhaps…
Conflict arises when people disagree about a particular situation or interaction. That disagreement usually starts because each person has a different perspective, a different mindset about how to look at the situation. We humans forget that we are not identical objects produced in a factory bearing the exact same thought processes and point of view on every situation. When we…
When people find themselves in a conflict around an idea or a situation, lines are drawn, sides taken. Each party digs into the various positions believing the other is wrong, nursing an injury that hurts beyond measure. Yet, if an honest conversation is started, parties can find that the root of their conflict is a mere misunderstanding or miscommunication. Once…
The biggest problem we face when working to negotiate a resolution to a conflict is not knowing or understanding what we really want. Beyond the “prize” of winning, we do not think about the details and the implications of those details. We humans focus on the idea of the win. Perhaps there is an object on which we focus as…
In some circles, the concept of jury nullification garners much attention and discussion. Courts, however, forbid the mention of nullification to jurors. Jurors can decide that a law is wrong or does not apply in a particular situation, yet the law prevents a defendant from telling a jury that they have that power. Over time, an alternative discussion around jury…
Mediation offers a broad range of options to resolve a conflict. Litigation, on the other hand, offers merely what the law permits. A judge’s choices are limited to those within the judge’s jurisdiction. In a mediation setting, thought, parties can reach agreements which a judge would not be able to consider. Collaboration between parties, even people who are having trouble…