Legal Blame: How Jurors Think and Talk about Accidents (Law and Public Policy - Psychology and the Social Sciences Series)

Feigenson analyzes both the words lawyers use to help jurors assign bl ame and the words jurors themselves use as they make decisions. With a minimal use of jargon, the author summarizes the leading research fro m social and cognitive psychology to show how everyday habits of thoug ht and feeling inform jurors' decisions. Contrary to common stereotype s about jurors, jurors integrate their thoughts and feelings to reach decisions that are usually correct enough by legal standards, although not always for what the law would consider the right reasons. Legal B lame provides a nuanced appreciation of the civil jury, with clear exa mples and in-depth analysis of how jurors help make tort law.