Why Are Courtroom Visuals So Impactful?
The concept of a “jury of your peers” is designed to be a cross-section of the community that is meant to be impartial adjudicators. Many attorneys employ jury experts to help with selection during voir dire. Although a juror’s questionnaire can reveal their level of education, that doesn’t always equate with their ability to comprehend complex information.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 79% of U.S. adults have “English literacy skills sufficient to complete tasks that require comparing and contrasting information, paraphrasing, or making low-level inferences.” At the other end of the spectrum, the data reveals that one in five adults have low literacy skills. That translates into 43 million adults who might be called to your next jury and struggle with the evidence you need to present to them.
Every trial involves the presentation of evidence, and that evidence needs to have a lasting impression on the jury that they will recall in their deliberations. That is where courtroom visuals can play a vital role in your presentation. Why are courtroom visuals so impactful? It all comes down to creating that powerful memory.
Types of Impactful Courtroom Visuals
We all have limitations to our attention spans. Those limitations are tasked further as a juror when you’re not allowed to engage or ask questions; instead, you just need to listen. Courtroom visuals can pull in a juror’s attention and help you direct their focus.
At Advocacy Digital Media, our team of graphic artists can help you create visuals for every main point in your case. Here are some examples of the courtroom visuals we can create for your next trial:
Timelines
Depending on your case, you could benefit from presenting a timeline to the jury that will walk them through your case and highlight the salient dates and times. In cases that involve personal injuries, it is essential to track when the incident occurred and the progression of the treatment and recovery challenges. It can help jurors appreciate the scope of how these injuries impact your client’s life.
Bar Graphs
Sometimes, jurors have a hard time conceptualizing the differences between large sets of numbers. Bar graphs that present numerous values are appealing to jury members. It helps put data into a tangible presentation they can use for comparisons. For instance, when trying to get a settlement from an insurance company, it could be a benefit to demonstrate the kind of revenue the insurance company collects versus the amount of benefits they actually pay out.
Visual Representation of a Scene
A 2D or 3D animation of a visual representation of a scene can help the juror visualize what occurred. That is especially helpful when you can recreate a collision between cars. You can also create a representation of a truck wreck that can help establish the disparity in size between a semi-truck and your client’s car. These animations can also present the scene from various angles. You will also be able to vary the speed of the recreation.
Unfamiliar Legal Concept
Every trial will involve legal concepts that the jurors might have heard on an episode of Law & Order but might not fully comprehend. You can use visual aids to break down the concepts and present them in an accessible manner. These visuals can also help with jury instructions if you need to explain the difference between the burden of proof, reasonable doubt, or a preponderance of the evidence.
Test Visuals
If you utilize mock jurors, you can use the visuals to test their effectiveness. Once Advocacy Digital Media has created the visuals, it will be easy to make adjustments to enhance the final presentation. The time it takes to create these visuals needs to be factored into your overall trial preparation. The sooner we get started, the sooner you’ll be able to share the visuals in discovery. Call to set up a demonstration of the courtroom visuals we can provide for your next trial.
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