Tips to Prepare for a Jury Trial
A lot of lawyers don’t take their cases all the way to trial, so they never get the experience in front of jurors that is needed to actually win at trial. It’s very possible that your previous lawyer developed the case without the expectation that it would go to trial. It’s also likely that an inexperienced attorney won’t be ready to argue your case to a jury. The truth is that some lawyers could use tips to prepare for a jury trial. The Los Angeles trial lawyers at Tauler Smith LLP have extensive experience handling jury trials in both state and federal courts, so we know which arguments are most likely to persuade jurors.
For tips on how a trial attorney can prepare your case for a jury trial, keep reading this blog.
How an Experienced Trial Lawyer Can Prepare Your Case for a Jury Trial in California
These are some of the things that an experienced trial lawyer can do to prepare for a jury trial in a California courtroom:
- Communicate to Judge and Jury: Trial lawyers should be ready to argue complicated legal points in support of a motion before the judge and communicate the facts of the case to laypersons on the jury.
- Keep the Story Simple: A good trial lawyer will be able to simplify a complex legal matter and weave together the evidence, transcripts, testimony, and arguments to build a compelling and persuasive narrative for the jury.
- Ask Witnesses the Right Questions: The best trial lawyers know which questions to ask their own witnesses, as well as which questions will weaken the opposing witnesses.
- Strong Closing Argument: The story that a trial lawyer tells in their closing argument needs to be backed up by the facts that have already been communicated throughout the trial. This requires a great deal of anticipation and foresight by the attorney.
- Preserve the Record for Appeal: A good trial lawyer will also keep an eye on the trial record so that there will be an avenue for filing an appeal later if the case does not go the way they hope.
- Communicate with the Client: Open communication between the attorney and the client is critical in the days and weeks before trial so that there is no chance of a misunderstanding that could damage the chances of success once the trial begins.
An Experienced Trial Lawyer Can Communicate Your Story to the Jury
In many ways, jury trials are preferable to bench trials because a jury trial doesn’t leave the decision in a single person’s hands. But this also means that your lawyer needs to be able to persuade multiple people at once. This can be tough in complex cases such as business fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, or employment defense.
With jury trials, it is important to recognize that jurors are human beings. This means that they may consider the law, but they will almost certainly factor in real-world human elements. If the jurors don’t believe you or your witnesses, they are not likely to find in your favor. This is why it is important to maintain credibility throughout the trial, and one way to do that is by telling a coherent story.
Our California Litigators Know How to Win in Court
The unfortunate reality is that far too many litigators simply don’t know how to win a case in the courtroom. They may understand the applicable statutes, but they never learned the technical skills of preparing a case for a trial. The Los Angeles trial attorneys at Tauler Smith LLP take pride in our ability to uncover buried evidence, develop strong arguments, and prep witnesses to take the stand. Even when the odds are stacked against you and the other side’s evidence seems insurmountable, we will do whatever is needed to give you a real fighting chance to win the case.
Additionally, we are often called upon to take over a case at the last minute. This is when a litigator is truly tested: in the days and weeks leading up to trial, when someone has to get ready to show up to court and actually present the case. In many ways, this is the toughest part of being a lawyer. Our last-minute trial team is stacked with attorneys who know how to effectively argue a client’s case in the courtroom and achieve the desired result. Significantly, we also know how to prepare cases quickly so that you never have to worry about whether we will be ready to win your case at trial.
Contact the California Trial Team at Tauler Smith LLP
The California trial lawyers at Tauler Smith LLP provide high-level service to our clients throughout the entire legal process, from the moment we begin reviewing the evidence in your case all the way through trial. We represent clients in California, New York, Texas, Florida, and everywhere else in the U.S.
Call or email us now to schedule a free consultation about your case.
