Calls for Speculation: An Experimental Examination of Juror Perceptions of Attorney Objections

Authors

Krystia Reed, Cornell Law School

First Page

53

Document Type

Article

Rights

Abstract

Should attorneys object during trial? Does preserving the record outweigh the potential costs of objections, such as upsetting the jury or drawing attention to the evidence? Legal scholars have opined on the delicate balance attorneys must strike in their decisions to object, but researchers have offered little to guide attorneys making these in-the-moment decisions. I discuss results from two empirical studies that provide evidence that attorneys have less to fear from objections than legal scholars suggest. Based on these results, I provide suggestions for practicing attorneys.

Recommended Citation

Krystia Reed, Calls for Speculation: An Experimental Examination of Juror Perceptions of Attorney Objections, 67 Buff. L. Rev. 53 (2019).
Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.buffalo.edu/buffalolawreview/vol67/iss1/2