You’re about to begin a major trial, and one of the most critical aspects of it: jury selection. The obligations of zealous representation require you to obtain the best jury for your client you can, which in turn requires you to research, identify and analyze pertinent information about potential jurors. This allows more informed judgments regarding potential bias and hidden agendas, potential reaction to trial theories, and accuracy of voir dire answers, thus more easily substantiating cause strikes.
In today’s world of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and their “friends”—itself a term which has lost all meaning—the volume of information people have affirmatively posted online about themselves is mind-boggling. Can these reservoirs be tapped when the posters become potential jurors? And to what extent does such research run up against another bedrock ethical obligation—the prohibition against counsel communicating with potential or selected jurors?
