Nikoleta Despodova

Nikoleta Despodova is a social scientist with extensive expertise in legal decision-making and conducting jury research since 2013. Utilizing a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods, Nikoleta gathers, analyzes, and interprets data on jurors’ behavior and attitudes. Her primary focus lies in understanding how biases and attitudes influence legal decisions.

Working on both civil and criminal matters, Nikoleta has conducted shadow juror interviews and supported jury selection by conducting juror background research using open-source and social media platforms. Additionally, Nikoleta has used her statistical proficiency to create juror profiles and assess juror damage awards.

Nikoleta is currently pursuing a PhD in Psychology and Law with a dual specialization in Basic and Applied Social Psychology. She earned her MPhil in Psychology from the Graduate Center at the City University of New York (CUNY) and holds a BA in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Nikoleta is a recognized researcher whose work has been published in empirical journals and has received awards from prestigious institutions such as the National Science Foundation, American Psychological Association, and American Psychology and Law Society.