Online Jury Research: COVID’s Effect on Juror Perspectives & Damages

How the Pandemic Affects Juror Perspectives
… and how to adjust your litigation strategy accordingly

By conducting a series of nationwide surveys, Magna consultants examined COVID-19’s impact on prospective jurors’ attitudes and beliefs. Let’s look at the facts:

In today’s world, many jurors feel the need to be the “guardians of the community” by forcing companies to change their bad behavior with large damage awards. Litigators and those in the insurance industry refer to these as “reptilian jurors“, who are responsible for the increasing frequency of “nuclear verdicts”.

Our research has shown the below trend in recent juror perspectives:

Factors that drive up verdicts include:

  • Juror Vulnerability, Fear, Volatility, & Polarization
  • Rising Costs & Uncertainty of the Future
  • More Millennials on Juries
  • Bad Testimony or Misidentification of Corporate Representatives
  • Anti-Corporate Bias – “Profits over Safety”
  • Not Setting a Floor or Providing a Low Damages Anchor
  • Not Addressing Key Issues/Themes in Jury Selection/Opening

Now more than ever, it is important to know how juror perspectives changed in your specific venue for your specific case issues.

It’s not a question if the pandemic will affect your cases… it’s a question of how it will affect your cases.

In general, many potential jurors now are more vulnerable – both health-wise and financially – than pre-pandemic, which can make people more plaintiff-friendly. However, depending on the venue, the most vulnerable, most risk-averse (i.e., most plaintiff-friendly) may be less likely to show up for jury duty or to be seated on a jury at present.

Luckily, there are some research tools to give you the current data you need to adjust your litigation strategy.

Test Your Damages
with JuryEvaluator

What is your case worth now? JuryEvaluator offers a scientific and statistically significant damages assessment for your ACTUAL CASE from your ACTUAL JURY POOL. This research will consider the effect of COVID-19 and current media climate, to provide insight into your case risk, exposure and value.

  • Research conducted in your case venue using your actual case facts
  • Research captures present-day surrogate juror attitudes and biases
  • Statistical analyses provide a reliable range of potential damages if the case went to a jury trial (economic, non-economic & punitive)
  • Optional Juror Profiling analysis

Online Focus Groups
with JuryConfirm

How has COVID impacted juror perspectives in your venue? Test your themes, storylines, social climate & more with JuryConfirm, Magna’s patented online focus group platform.

  • Evidence analyzer powered by AI
  • Live attorney presentations with limitless capabilities
  • Simulation of court room environment with interactive avatars and live video feed of jurors and attorneys
  • Live (video) juror deliberations with more panels than ever available before
  • Real-time results: Fully-customized questionnaires, polling & presentation feedback
  • Detailed reports featuring case evaluation, theme development, and jury profi­les

Nationwide COVID-19 Study Results

Magna Legal Services conducted a series of nationwide surveys to assess evolving changes and shifts in juror perceptions in this brave new world.

Study includes 5,000 respondents
& 100+ questions about:

  • Technology
  • Finance
  • Law Enforcement
  • Insurance
  • Life Sciences

Learn about our findings:

  • Halo effect
  • Business Interruption Coverage
  • Reptilian Influence
  • Crisis Fatigue
  • Juror Vulnerability

Complete the form to download your FREE copy of Magna’s COVID Study results >>

Contact our 24/7 Hotline for a FREE Case Consultation: 877.220.1821

or, email us at [email protected], or fill out our contact form

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Magna Legal Services Acquires Kim Tindall & Associates

Magna Legal Services Adds Kim Tindall & Associates to the Greatest One-Stop-Shop for Legal Support Services

Magna Legal Services (Magna LS) and Kim Tindall & Associates (KTA), two ALM award winning court reporting and medical record retrieval industry leaders, announced today the combination of their firms. KTA was founded in 2009 by Kim Tindall. The two companies will combine operations on April 1, 2021.

With more than 500 employees, 3,500 court reporters, 5,000 interpreters and 40 litigation consultants in 20 locations across the U.S., Magna LS and KTA together will be one of the largest litigation support and consulting firms based on both size and services offered.

Both companies are known for providing exceptional service to clients. The combined company is designed for customers — a company with increased capabilities and geographic reach coupled with a commitment to delivering outstanding service. “The combination will create 80 years of industry experience and match strength with strength in both our court reporting and medical record retrieval divisions. Additionally, our KTA clients will now gain access to a wide variety of litigation support and consulting services. I am very excited for our clients, staff and court reporters,” said Kim Tindall, President of KTA.

Tony Vaglica, COO of Magna LS, will be working closely with the KTA team. He added, “The addition of five KTA offices (San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Houston and New Orleans) along with their team of freelance court reporters will streamline operations throughout Texas and Louisiana.” Magna LS has existing offices in Houston and New Orleans.

Founding Partner and Executive Vice President of Sales at Magna LS, Peter Hecht, added,

“The big winners in this merger are the clients from both Magna LS and KTA. We will be able to increase service levels to our Magna base in Texas while offering new powerful litigation support tools for the existing KTA clientele.”

Both Magna LS and KTA built their businesses to support clients from Discovery to Trial.

Magna Legal Services’ CEO, Mark Williams, is excited about the addition of KTA as well. “We are delighted to welcome the KTA team to the Magna family,” Williams said. “Kim and her team have extensive industry experience and have created one of the fastest growing companies in both the court reporting and record retrieval sector. Their success shows through their highly-positive customer reviews and ratings, as well as their rapid growth over the past few years.”

End-to-End Litigation Support Services: