Attorney Lead Jury Selection in Child Sexual Abuse Cases

This workshop will discuss the various issues that prosecutors face during jury selection for cases involving the sexual abuse of a child. The presenters will discuss themes and theories of child abuse cases and how to address those during voir dire. Topics such as child abuse dynamics, young witnesses, family/loved one responses, and lack of medical/physical evidence will be examined. The presenters will address identifying causation questions, pros and cons of questionnaires, and tools for detecting bias and prejudice in potential jurors. The presentation will also include an abbreviated mock pick. Participants will learn how to educate jurors on these matters starting at the very beginning of a trial.