Secondary only to the facts of the case, we believe demonstrative evidence has the most impact on the decision making behavior of judges and juries. After all, it is demonstrative evidence that best helps the facts, the witnesses and even the lawyers to be easily understood. Accordingly, our firm places considerable weight on the execution of highly persuasive demonstrative evidence in a case.
What is Demonstrative Evidence?
Demonstrative evidence is any evidence shown to judge and jury in litigation that is neither testimony nor substantive evidence. Examples of demonstrative evidence include charts, timelines, a scale model, photo enlargements, animation, a film or video, checklist exhibits, a sample product display or anything similar designed to help the judge or jury better understand the case.
Why is a Demonstrative Evidence Consultant Helpful?
As demonstrative evidence consultants, A2L Consulting's job is to apply the very definition of demonstrative evidence - that which makes evidence and facts in the case easier to undertand - broadly to the entire case. That is, our job is to help the trial team make the case (both the facts and our side's position) easier to understand.
We've done this work for litigators from all major law firms in the U.S. and most very large international law firms as well.
Why is it Helpful for a Case to Be Easily Understood?
Good question. The truth is, sometimes, A2L Consulting's job is leave the complexity in a case as we are convinced that it will work in our favor. However, this is an unusal circumstance.
Most of the time, our task as demonstrative evidence consultants is to take an otherwise complicated case and 1) make it understadable by anyone, relying heaving on the use of demonstrative evidence; and 2) make it clear that our side is the correct side. This is harder than it might seem.
First, the people most expert in the case, the litigation counsel, have been working the case for so long that they may have lost sight of what was hard to understand about it in the first place. Second, litigation counsel tends to be much smarter and better educated that the average juror. These realities mean that our task is to help trial counsel create a courtroom presentation, incoroprating demonstrative evidence, that helps them be understood better than they think they need to be while at the same time, creating a presentation that persuades the judge or jury.
If one is understood, one can be more easily trusted. If one is understood, one can more easily persuade. With as many as 80% of jurors deciding a case after the opening statement, the importantance of using demonstrative evidence to both be understood generally and to have one's position be understood cannot be overstated.
What Other Demonstrative Evidence Resources Can I Find on A2L's Site?
A2L Consulting's site contains extensive information related to demonstrative evidence. Please review the links below or simply contact us with a question you have.
Who May I Contact at A2L Consulting to Learn More?
Nina Doherty
National Director, Business Development
A2L Consulting
800.337.7697 x121
doherty@A2LC.com
About A2L Consulting
A2L Consulting was founded in Washington, DC as Animators at Law in 1995. Since then the firm has expanded its services and national footprint to include jury/trial consulting, litigation graphics, trial techncian outsourcing, e-brief creation, and other litigation support services. The firm either has personnel or has worked in the following locations recently: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago , Houston , Phoenix , Philadelphia , San Antonio , San Diego , Dallas , San Jose , Jacksonville , Indianapolis, San Francisco , Columbus , Memphis , Fort Worth , Baltimore , Charlotte , Boston , Seattle , Washington , Denver , Louisville/Jefferson County , Las Vegas , Nashville-Davidson , Oklahoma City , Atlanta , Kansas City , Cleveland , Virginia Beach , Miami , Oakland , Minneapolis and many other cities around the world.