Crafting an Effective Story

This holiday movie season brings with it some of our favorite franchise stories and characters of all time.  Batman faces off against Superman to protect the world in Dawn of Justice.  Katniss Everdeen prepares for the final battle against President Snow and the Capitol in Mockingjay Part 2.  And Luke, Leia and Han reunite 30 years after the Battle of Endor in The Force Awakens.  These stories endure because people care deeply for the characters and long to see what happens in the classic battle between good and evil.

As trial attorneys, you certainly wish jurors would enter the courtroom with the same enthusiasm they have when they enter the theater showing the latest blockbuster.  Here are some tips to help you develop an interesting story to keep your jurors interested and invested in your client’s story:

Characters – Good stories start with good characters.  In your story, your main characters are the plaintiff and defendant, and your supporting cast members are your witnesses.  Your job is to bring your characters to life so the jury can better understand their motivations.  It’s your job to explain who they are, where they came from, why they made the decisions they made and why your jurors should trust them (or not).

Setting – Setting provides the anchor for your story by giving jurors context.  If your story has many significant dates and times, your jurors will thank you for creating a timeline to help them organize the information.  Additionally, we all love picture books, and if it makes sense to include pictures of the setting, doing so will help jurors visualize the story.  Both of these small acts will also help you establish credibility.

Plot – The plot is the driving force behind your story.  Skilled writers start with a good theme and weave their facts around it.  Instead of seeking to change your jurors’ core values, you should develop a theme that fits within their preconceived definitions of fairness and justice.  Remember to keep your plot points simple and well organized without immersing your jurors in too much detail – your job is to try the case, not your jurors’ patience.  Revisit your theme when you question witnesses and introduce new facts.  Repetition will keep your message fresh in jurors' minds.

  

Conflict – You should address the conflict of your story as early as possible by telling jurors the claims against your client and how you intend to prove he or she acted reasonably.  We suggest using opening statements as an opportunity to precondition jurors to the unfavorable points in your case.  Owning the conflict in your story shows jurors you’re confident you will overcome it.

Resolution of conflict – It is important for jurors to know how they can make your story right.  Think of this as the “Choose Your Own Adventure” aspect of the story, in that jurors can choose how justice will be carried out.  Once again, you should reinforce your theme and advise jurors that a ruling in your favor is the only way traditional notions of justice can be reached.

Storytelling is an art form, and we understand the challenges of telling the right story.  If you need help developing or telling your story, contact Senior Vice President Claire Luna at cluna@juryimpact.net or 714.754.1010.