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PODCAST

The Litigation Psychology Podcast

The Litigation Psychology Podcast presented by Courtroom Sciences, Inc. (CSI) is a podcast for in-house and outside defense counsel and insurance claims personnel about the intersection of science and litigation. We explore topics of interest to the defense bar, with a particular emphasis on subjects that don‘t get enough attention. Our hosts are experts in Clinical Psychology, Social Psychology, and scientifically-based jury research with a wealth of knowledge about psychology, science, jury

science social sciences

All Episodes

33:38

The Litigation Psychology Podcast - Episode 286 – The...

The Litigation Psychology Podcast ·

2025/11/10

Bill Kanasky, Jr., Ph.D. discusses a recurring problem in wrongful death cases: jurors’ tendency to mistakenly believe their job is to assign a monetary value to a life. Bill explains how this cognitive shortcut often leads to inflated damage awards because jurors default to emotional reasoning rather than following the legal instructions.To prevent this, Bill emphasizes that the issue must be addressed proactively during voir dire. He outlines a process that begins with exposing the problem -

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34:07

The Litigation Psychology Podcast - Episode 285 -...

The Litigation Psychology Podcast ·

2025/11/03

Bill Kanasky, Jr., Ph.D. talks about several issues he sees with opening statements. Bill highlights the biggest issue the CSI team comes across in opening statements: starting the opening statement in the wrong spot. Bill emphasizes the importance of the first two minutes of the opening and how those first two minutes frame how you want the jury to see your case (i.e., the cognitive lens.) The first thing that the defense attorney has to do in their opening is put someone or something else on

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0:01

The Litigation Psychology Podcast - Episode 284 - Why...

The Litigation Psychology Podcast ·

2025/10/27

Bill Kanasky, Jr. Ph.D. shares a comparison between two different performances by witnesses at a recent mock trial and how their deposition performance impacted jurors' perceptions of the credibility of the witnesses and jurors' views of the case. One of the witnesses gave several pivoting responses, using phrases like "Yeah, but...." many times, which the jurors found evasive and did not like. Bill talks about how to handle situations where witnesses are asked questions related to bad facts or

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25:35

The Litigation Psychology Podcast - Episode 283 -...

The Litigation Psychology Podcast ·

2025/10/20

Bill Kanasky, Jr., Ph.D. talks about what attorneys and defendants get wrong about jury research. Defense teams that follow the traditional jury research model and only conduct mock trials ignore the scientific method. If you want results you can have confidence in, you have to follow the proven scientific method. Bill describes the two biggest issues with mock trials:- conducting a mock trial as the first, and often only, research project invites a significant amount of error into your results,

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27:28

The Litigation Psychology Podcast - Episode 282 - Win...

The Litigation Psychology Podcast ·

2025/10/13

Bill Kanasky, Jr., Ph.D. discusses setting proper expectations when it comes to managing litigation and the relationship between each element in litigation. For example, Bill highlights that success in trial depends on a constellation of factors, not just one element like jury selection, and that defense teams often place too much weight on a single component while neglecting others. He explains that having a consultant present for jury selection without supporting jury research is ineffective,

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35:19

The Litigation Psychology Podcast - Episode 281 -...

The Litigation Psychology Podcast ·

2025/10/06

In this episode of The Litigation Psychology Podcast, Bill Kanasky, Jr., Ph.D. discusses confirmation bias and its destructive impact on litigation decision-making. He explains that confirmation bias — when attorneys or claims professionals interpret case facts in ways that support their preexisting beliefs — is one of the most dangerous cognitive traps in civil litigation. Plaintiff attorneys have recognized this risk in their own thinking and combat it through early and consistent jury research,

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33:53

The Litigation Psychology Podcast - Episode 280 -...

The Litigation Psychology Podcast ·

2025/09/29

Bill Kanasky, Jr., Ph.D. breaks down two critical mistakes attorneys make in opening statements: dilution of their message and their communication frequency. Frequency refers to the attorney’s delivery dynamics - energy level, confidence, rhythm, and emotional tone - that either engages jurors or turns them off. Common problems with communication frequency include defensiveness, nervousness, over-talking, and coming across as if trying to sell something to the jury rather than telling them a

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35:06

The Litigation Psychology Podcast - Episode 279 -...

The Litigation Psychology Podcast ·

2025/09/22

In this episode of the Litigation Psychology Podcast, Bill Kanasky, Jr., Ph.D. talks about common missteps in litigation and explains why defense teams must “stop losing before they can start winning.” He argues that many losses stem not from case facts but from preventable mistakes, as the plaintiff’s bar continues to be proactive while the defense often remains reactive.Bill highlights three key areas for improvement: early and accurate case assessment via frequent jury research, early witness

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49:34

The Litigation Psychology Podcast - Episode 278 -...

The Litigation Psychology Podcast ·

2025/09/15

Trucking defense attorneys Shane O'Dell and Larry Hall join hosts Bill Kanasky, Jr., Ph.D. and Steve Wood, Ph.D. to talk through several topics in trucking and transportation litigation. They begin by discussing the devastating illegal U-turn trucking accident in Florida resulting in multiple fatalities and the political fallout due to immigration issues with the driver. The group talk about how to address this horrible accident in jury selection and how to solicit honest perspectives from jurors

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30:28

The Litigation Psychology Podcast - Episode 277 -...

The Litigation Psychology Podcast ·

2025/09/08

Bill Kanasky, Jr., Ph.D. and Steve Wood, Ph.D. discuss the most common mistakes attorneys make during litigation touching on jury research, voir dire, direct examination, openings, and closings.Bill and Steve stress that in jury research, confirmation bias is a major pitfall and attorneys often dismiss unfavorable results instead of using them to prepare for trial. They also highlight how waiting too long to conduct research is another mistake, as early testing reveals vulnerabilities before they

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39:27

The Litigation Psychology Podcast - Episode 276 -...

The Litigation Psychology Podcast ·

2025/09/01

In this episode, Bill Kanasky, Jr., Ph.D. is joined by attorneys Johan Flynn and Kevin Greene to discuss their recent nine-week asbestos trial in California that resulted in a major defense verdict. Johan and Kevin describe how they incorporated CSI’s disruptive voir dire techniques into their jury selection strategy, using them to identify unfavorable jurors, plant seeds on critical defense themes, and introduce concepts such as anchoring early in the process. They also share insights on trial

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35:32

The Litigation Psychology Podcast - Episode 275 -...

The Litigation Psychology Podcast ·

2025/08/25

Trucking defense attorney Doug Marcello joins Bill Kanasky, Jr., Ph.D. to discuss the latest in trucking litigation. Doug provides a “state of the union” update on where the industry has been, where it is now, and where it needs to go. They address recent tort reform efforts in states like Georgia, Louisiana, and South Carolina, and the importance of leveraging those reforms effectively. An important point that Doug and Bill highlight is the continued lack of collaboration among defense attorneys

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26:43

The Litigation Psychology Podcast - Episode 274 -...

The Litigation Psychology Podcast ·

2025/08/18

Bill Kanasky, Jr., Ph.D. talks about the role of juror beliefs and attitudes in voir dire and why they must be treated as distinct concepts. Beliefs are what jurors think (cognitive), while attitudes are how they feel (emotional). Bill emphasizes that while many attorneys stop at/after belief-based questions, it’s the follow-up attitude questions that reveal the real risk, since emotions ultimately drive juror decision-making.Bill gives an example of the sequence: start with belief questions such

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52:04

The Litigation Psychology Podcast - Episode 273 -...

The Litigation Psychology Podcast ·

2025/08/11

Steve Wood, Ph.D. is joined by trial attorney Jeremiah Byrne of Frost Brown Todd LLC to break down a recent case that resulted in a defense verdict. Jeremiah begins with an overview of the facts, explaining the allegations against the defendant and the damages sought by the plaintiff. He describes the mediation process, the plaintiff’s settlement demands, and why the case proceeded to trial.Next, Steve and Jeremiah discuss jury selection strategy, including how Jeremiah identified potential

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53:43

The Litigation Psychology Podcast - Episode 272 -...

The Litigation Psychology Podcast ·

2025/08/04

Steve Wood, Ph.D. joins Bill Kanasky, Jr., Ph.D. to answer recent podcast viewer and listener mail. • In voir dire, should defense counsel ask jurors about their AI use and habits? • The judge has only given both sides, three to five questions, max, in jury selection. What do I do? • How can you manage judge conducted voir dire? • How do I counter-anchor in my opening statement if the plaintiff attorney doesn’t give a specific number but they just say that they want a large amount from the jurors? •

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30:01

The Litigation Psychology Podcast - Episode 271 -...

The Litigation Psychology Podcast ·

2025/07/28

Bill Kanasky, Jr., Ph.D. dives into an often overlooked but critical aspect of witness testimony: behavior. He explains that body language and facial expression are the first things jurors process when evaluating a witness on video, and they play a major role in shaping perceptions of credibility, likability, and trustworthiness. Bill urges attorneys to coach their witnesses to maintain “job interview” demeanor — sitting upright, hands in front, and wearing a neutral, professional facial expression

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27:58

The Litigation Psychology Podcast - Episode 270 -...

The Litigation Psychology Podcast ·

2025/07/21

In this episode of The Litigation Psychology Podcast, Bill Kanasky, Jr., Ph.D. dives into the rapidly evolving world of plaintiff attorney advertising and specifically how it's exploded on social media. While traditional ads like billboards and cheesy daytime TV spots are still around, many plaintiff firms are now taking a totally different approach online. Bill explains how these firms are using TikTok, Instagram, and X (formally Twitter) to push out videos that aren’t focused on big verdicts or

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40:52

The Litigation Psychology Podcast - Episode 269 -...

The Litigation Psychology Podcast ·

2025/06/30

Trial attorney Shane O’Dell from Naman Howell joins Bill Kanasky, Jr., Ph.D. to break down a recent case that resulted in a complete defense verdict. The case involved a homeowner being sued after a contractor’s assistant, hired informally from a parking lot, fell through an attic floor while replacing water heaters, sustaining serious injuries. Shane explains how initial assumptions about homeowner liability posed a major challenge, as jurors often believe that property owners are automatically

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54:43

The Litigation Psychology Podcast - Episode 268 -...

The Litigation Psychology Podcast ·

2025/06/23

Bill Kanasky, Jr., Ph.D. explains how cortisol, the brain’s primary stress hormone, can significantly impair witness performance during testimony. He describes how elevated cortisol levels, produced during perceived threats, impair cognitive functions such as memory, decision-making, and emotional regulation. Bill introduces the stress-performance curve, noting that optimal performance occurs at moderate stress levels (between 4 and 6 on a 10-point scale). When cortisol levels are too high, the

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53:29

The Litigation Psychology Podcast - Episode 267 -...

The Litigation Psychology Podcast ·

2025/06/16

CSI Litigation Consultant Linda Khzam joins Steve Wood, Ph.D. to discuss managing emotional and anxious witnesses during deposition prep. Drawing on her background in cognitive neuroscience and working with crime victims, Linda explains that many witnesses enter the litigation process with no understanding of what to expect, likening it to being dropped unprepared into a foreign country. She stresses the need to provide a clear roadmap, explaining logistics, roles, and expectations, to help

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286 results

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