What a mock jury is for
A trial team lives inside its case for months and loses the ability to hear it fresh. A mock jury restores the outside view. Presented with both sides of a condensed case, the panel reveals which arguments land, which witnesses read as credible, what the damages ask does to the room, and where jurors invent their own version of events to fill gaps the lawyers cannot see.
The most valuable output is rarely the vote count. It is the reasoning: the themes jurors use on each other when they argue about your case.
The three formats in use in 2026
- Consultant-run mock trials. Recruited jurors matched to the venue hear live presentations for each side, then deliberate on camera. The deepest and most expensive format, typically $10,000 to $60,000 per exercise.
- Online juror panels. Venue residents read a written case summary and answer questions individually. Faster and cheaper, with lighter screening and usually no deliberation.
- AI jury simulation. A simulated panel built to mirror the venue's jury pool reads the full case file, votes, deliberates, and explains its reasoning. Results arrive the same day, at roughly 10 to 20 percent of live cost, and the panel can be rerun each time the case changes.
The full price breakdown across formats is in our mock jury cost guide, and the head-to-head comparison of live and simulated formats is in AI jury simulation vs traditional mock trial.
When in a case to run one
Tradition says once, shortly before trial. That timing is an artifact of price. When a panel read is cheap and fast, the useful schedule looks different: an early read during case assessment, reruns as discovery changes the record, a damages-anchor test before mediation, and a final confirmation on the eve of trial. Cases move at every one of those points, and most of them never reach the last one.
What a mock jury is legally
Mock jury research is attorney work product prepared in anticipation of litigation, and providers in every format operate under confidentiality obligations. Panels never include people connected to the actual case, and results are research, never something offered to a court.
Common questions
How many people are on a mock jury?
Live exercises typically seat one to three panels of 8 to 12 jurors each. Online panels often use 25 to 50 respondents for statistical spread. Simulated panels commonly run 12 to 24 jurors and can be rerun for more samples.
What is the difference between a mock jury and a focus group?
A mock jury hears both sides presented adversarially and deliberates toward a verdict. A litigation focus group is a moderated discussion of facts and themes without the full adversarial structure. The comparison has its own page: mock trial vs focus group.
Are mock jury results admissible or discoverable?
Mock jury research is conducted as attorney work product, and its purpose is strategic preparation rather than evidence. Ask any provider how they protect confidentiality; the answer should be specific.