Forensic Anthropology Inc. (FAI) is like no other trial consulting firm in America. We dissect and analyze your case from a scholarly perspective, using physiological and behavioral sciences to peer into the psyches of individual jurors, and more accurately predict the way they will process information, draw conclusions and make decisions vital to your case. We are attorneys and scientists, researchers and communications specialists.
We are adept at the art of the spoken word and keenly aware of the power of a phrase carefully turned. Legal conflicts are won in the minds of jurors, and FAI helps attorneys deftly maneuver that battlefield. Our methodologies identify juror bias and demystify juror thought processes, affording the trial attorney a distinct advantage when trying and settling cases. No trial strategy is fail-safe, but FAI’s unprecedented scientific approach represents the trial attorney’s most certain path toward litigation success. FAI consults with both defense and plaintiffs’ counsel.
Martin Q. Peterson, Ph.D.
Forensic Anthropology Inc. is headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, and lead by Dr. Martin Q. Peterson, Chief Scientist, a pioneer in the field of litigation science. With more than thirty years’ trial consulting experience, Dr. Peterson is one of the most respected trial consultants in the United States and an expert in the field of forensic anthropology. He specializes in detecting common juror behaviors that originate at the biological level, and directly affect individuals’ experiences and environmental adaptations. His expertise allows him to ascertain how prospective jurors process information and resolve problems, as well as how their faces and body language mirror their emotions. Dr. Peterson’s counsel adds powerful insights to every phase of trial, particularly jury selection and trial presentations.
Dr. Peterson was awarded a Ph.D. in Human Biology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1969. He earned his Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Anthropology from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, in 1964 and 1959, respectively.
Jill Holmquist, J.D.
Jill Holmquist is a trial consultant and president of Forensic Anthropology, Inc. A former litigator admitted to practice in California and Nebraska, Ms. Holmquist has more than 15 years’ experience providing consulting services to members of both the plaintiff and defense bars. She is a certified mediator, and has presented trial lawyers’ workshops and seminars nationwide on subjects such as the use of focus groups in litigation, jury selection, juror bias, effective expert testimony and trial presentation. In addition, Ms. Holmquist is a prolific, enlightening author whose articles dealing with juror bias and behavior have been published in numerous trial law publications.
Ms. Holmquist received a law degree from Boston University in 1993 and a B.A. with distinction from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1985.
Approach
FAI uses the principles of human biology, cultural anthropology, psychology and ethology to communicate with jurors’ unconscious brains. Our trial strategies take into account the three basic layers of the evolved human brain – the primitive brain, which reacts instinctually to triggers such as fear, anger and basic sexuality; the emotional brain, which processes information indirectly through behaviors and feelings inspired by human experience; and the reasoning brain, which is deliberative, creative and thinks abstractly.
As do all humans, jurors arrive at decisions before they are consciously aware of them. These decisions occur within the older structures of the brain. The brain then uses rational thought to serve the needs of its unconscious motivations and deep-seated emotions.
In other words, if you base your case solely on logic, you will likely lose.
The minds of jurors can be perplexing. That is because most of their thought processes take place unconsciously. Understanding the triune brain and its processes allows FAI to interpret jurors’ thoughts and predict their reactions more accurately. We help the attorney identify the stories and hidden emotional responses that dwell in the jurors’ unconscious minds, and use them to resolve their cases favorably.
FAI begins with concept focus groups, where we explore the instinctive, emotional and unconscious responses of mock jurors when presented with the specifics of your case. From the focus group results, we develop rhetoric and visualizations designed to illuminate those unconscious responses. We then craft opening statements, sequence facts and prepare witnesses to communicate with both the unconscious minds of jurors and the logical mind of the court. Finally, we test these results in structured focus groups. Choosing respondents with predictable biases lets us appraise the strength of every facet of the case story and fine-tune the message before trial.