Putting Jurors in the Plaintiff’s Shoes

Thomas D. Penfield reviews Experiencing Other Minds in the Courtroom – as published in Trial Magazine

Since 1943, when Melvin Belli famously brought a large model of a cable car intersection and a gearbox and chain to trial to demonstrate the cause of a cable car gripman’s injuries, plaintiff lawyers have creatively used demonstrative evidence to develop greater empathy and understanding in jurors.

In Experiencing Other Minds in the Court Room, author Neal Feigenson, associate dean and professor at Quinnipiac Law School, conducts a historical and philosophical analysis about whether anyone can really share someone else’s experiences.