52. Let's "Speak the Truth" about Voir Dire, with Adam Kendall May the Record Reflect

Content warning: Mentions of sexual assault. Brief, non-graphic discussions of questioning the venire about sexual assault occur at 32:20–32:59 and 42:25–44:34.
Experienced trial lawyers are accustomed to being the ones asking the questions, but in this episode, NITA NextGen faculty member Adam Kendall finds himself in the hot seat for once.  He’s answering our questions about voir dire: building rapport with the venire through icebreakers and humor, eliciting useful information from potential jurors while introducing bad facts about your case, and what you can glean from jury questionnaires. Adam also talks about the developing trend of limiting or eliminating peremptory strikes.

Topics
3:39   Primary goal of voir dire
4:06   What to pay attention to
5:09   “The quiet one”
9:03   Icebreakers to build rapport
11:18 Voir dire by the judge
14:22 Strong personalities among jurors
16;25 Ideal foreperson qualities
17:50 Eliciting strong opinions and reactions
19:19 Introducing bad facts
21:12 Using humor
24:12 Signaling legal issues
26:27 Nationwide changes in peremptory strikes
32:05 Jury questionnaires
35:53 Online research of the venire
41:50 War stories
46:50 Signoff questions
 
Quote
“People who are too eager to be on a jury scare me.” Adam Kendall
 
Resources
Adam Kendall (LinkedIn)
Building Trial Skills: New Orleans (course)

Not Just for Trial! How to Use Exhibits from Day One (Register for Adam's live webcast on March 26, 2024)