Stoneburner quoted in Virginia Lawyers Weekly article on internet juror research
Internet juror research is revealing, trained p.i. can uncover even more
By Peter Vieth
Published: November 23, 2009
The widespread use of the Internet has taken a lot of the guesswork out of jury selection, some lawyers are finding. Web users, especially those involved with social networking sites, are revealing much more of their personal information, often unknowingly.
The Web also makes it easier for professional investigators to uncover personal information from official records not available to casual users. In a recent federal trial in Harrisonburg, a lawyer said her dossier on jurors basically gave her “five free strikes,” because several of the jurors had lied about past legal involvements.
Professional investigators always have had access to more information than the casual computer user, but searches are paying off more than ever, experts say.
