<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>This study arises out of the intention to examine the features of expert-lay interaction in a jury trial. The paper studies closing arguments constructed by legal experts as possible worlds which would be attractive for jurors. Theory of possible worlds is employed to present discourse practices as versions of the real world which may overlap, supplement or contradict one another. Legal experts construe and present possible worlds to jury members who deliver verdicts on the case, i.e. possess decisional power. Efficient involvement of jurors into the possible world constructed by the legal expert signals formation of discourse of concord. In order to make their own possible world more credible than the world of the procedural opponents, legal experts employ different interaction tools: description of legal concepts, empathy, appeals to social values, imperative and question utterances, personalization.</p></abstract>

This study arises out of the intention to examine the features of expert-lay interaction in a jury trial. The paper studies closing arguments constructed by legal experts as possible worlds which would be attractive for jurors. Theory of possible worlds is employed to present discourse practices as versions of the real world which may overlap, supplement or contradict one another. Legal experts construe and present possible worlds to jury members who deliver verdicts on the case, i.e. possess decisional power. Efficient involvement of jurors into the possible world constructed by the legal expert signals formation of discourse of concord. In order to make their own possible world more credible than the world of the procedural opponents, legal experts employ different interaction tools: description of legal concepts, empathy, appeals to social values, imperative and question utterances, personalization.

Expert-lay interaction in jury trials (case study of closing arguments)

Irkutsk National Research Technical University

Journal of Language and Cultural Education

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Expert-lay interaction in jury trials (case study of closing arguments)"}

This study arises out of the intention to examine the features of expert-lay interaction in a jury trial. The paper studies closing arguments constructed by...

Expert-lay interaction in jury trials (case study of closing arguments)

Published Online: Dec 29, 2017

Page range: 77 - 92

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jolace-2017-0029

Keywords
discourse interaction, juror, legal expert, empathy, closing argument, possible world

© 2017 Olga A. Krapivkina, published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Expert-lay interaction in jury trials (case study of closing arguments)

Published Online: Dec 29, 2017

Page range: 77 - 92

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jolace-2017-0029

Keywordsdiscourse interaction, juror, legal expert, empathy, closing argument, possible world

© 2017 Olga A. Krapivkina, published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
discourse interaction, juror, legal expert, empathy, closing argument, possible world