Jury Duty With a Mediator Mindset, Part 6: Conclusion
Not only did I have the opportunity to see how a jury values a particular case, but also I gained insight into their thinking and decision making. Some of my assumptions were shaken; others were confirmed. I was concerned about the actual size of the... Read More
Jury Duty With a Mediator Mindset, Part 5: Jurors’ Interviews
I was released from the jury just prior to its retiring to deliberate the verdict. I was terribly disappointed that I was not going to continue to participate in a process I had talked about for years in mediation. However, I did maintain contact wit... Read More
Jury Duty With a Mediator Mindset, Part 4: Damages
The jury’s methodology for determining damages was the most surprising aspect of the trial. The plaintiff’s lawyers submitted evidence showing the medical bills incurred by the plaintiff as a result of the injury were $95,000. The defense asserted so... Read More
Jury Duty With a Mediator Mindset, Part 3: Liability Issues and Causation
The plaintiff asserted the construction company had been negligent by failing to exercise due care in re-routing traffic away from the pothole. There was no question the construction company knew about the pothole; the issue was what duty it had to p... Read More
Jury Duty With a Mediator Mindset, Part 2: The Jury
Seven of us were selected to serve – six jurors and one alternate. I initially tried to guess who the alternate was but recognized it was futile. I had no real information from which to make that judgment. Our jury was composed of five men and two wo... Read More
Jury Duty with a Mediator Mindset, Part 1
This story begins with the receipt of a jury summons from the Orange County Courthouse in the first quarter of 2014. ... I had appeared for state court jury duty in the past but was never chosen to serve on the jury. I assumed this journey would enta... Read More
