Jury Research for Tennessee Trial Counsel, Public Records Only
When the venire list arrives, trial teams have little time to learn who may sit in judgment of their client. Birds Eye performs lawful, passive public-record research on prospective jurors at counsel's direction, with no contact of any kind and strict respect for the court's rules.
- Passive public-record research only
- No juror contact, requests or follows
- Directed by counsel, within court orders
Where is your trial?
Pick the closest match and we will point you to the right next step.
Is juror background research allowed in Tennessee?
Reviewing public information about prospective jurors is generally permitted, but any communication with a juror is not. That includes friend requests, follow requests and messages sent by a lawyer or anyone working for them. Research must also follow the presiding judge's orders and local rules, and counsel directs and supervises the work.
What Jury Research Is For, and What It Is Not
Voir dire depends on honest answers, but prospective jurors do not always recognize or disclose what matters. Someone may forget a prior lawsuit against a similar defendant, a relative's work for a party, or public statements about the very issue at trial. Public-record research helps counsel ask better questions and spot answers that deserve follow-up.
Jury research is not a tool to intimidate, influence or pressure anyone. It is quiet, one-directional review of information that is already public, performed so the court can seat a fair and impartial panel.
The Bright Lines Our PIs Never Cross
Professional conduct rules prohibit lawyers from communicating with jurors or prospective jurors outside proper court channels, and lawyers are responsible for the conduct of nonlawyers who assist them. A widely cited ABA ethics opinion treats passive review of public online content as acceptable while treating access requests as improper communication. Birds Eye builds every engagement around those limits.
Some courts issue specific orders about juror research. Counsel should tell us about any order, local rule or instruction from the bench before we begin, and we follow the most restrictive rule that applies.
- No contact with jurors, their families or employers
- No friend, follow or connection requests from any account
- No use of fake profiles or third parties to see private content
- No research that triggers notifications where counsel directs us to avoid it
- No access to sealed or confidential records
Public Sources That Commonly Inform Juror Research
Depending on the case and the information the court releases, research may cover prior civil lawsuits as a party, public criminal cases, business filings, property records, professional licenses and publicly visible online content such as posts, reviews and organizational memberships.
We look for facts relevant to the issues in your trial: experience with similar claims, connections to parties, witnesses or counsel, and public expressions of views on the subject matter. Findings are sourced so counsel can decide what to raise in questioning.
Talk it through with a licensed PI
Tell us what is happening. We will explain what the work involves and put scope, timeline and cost in writing before anything starts.
Planning Around a Short Window Before Selection
How and when juror information becomes available depends on the court and the case, and the window before selection can be short. The best results come from planning early: confirming scope, priority issues and the format of the final summary before the list arrives, so research can begin immediately.
For large panels, counsel can rank priorities so the most important research is completed first. We confirm staffing, timeline and cost in writing during planning rather than scrambling on the morning of selection.
Monitoring Public Content During Trial
Some trial teams ask for continued passive review of seated jurors' public content during trial, to identify possible misconduct such as public posts about the case. Any such monitoring stays within the same limits: public content only, no interaction and nothing that alerts the juror.
If we observe something that may bear on a juror's conduct, we report it to counsel immediately and document it. Counsel decides whether and how to bring it to the court's attention under applicable rules.
Confidentiality and Your Work Product
Jury research is prepared at counsel's direction for litigation, and we handle it accordingly: limited distribution, secure delivery and no discussion with anyone outside the trial team. Whether Tennessee's work product protections apply to a given file is a question for counsel.
Research materials are returned or retained according to your instructions. We do not reuse information about jurors from one engagement in another.
What Jury Research Support Includes
Pre-list planning
Agreement on priority issues, sources, limits and report format before names arrive.
Litigation history search
Public civil and criminal cases involving each prospective juror where accessible.
Connection checks
Links to parties, witnesses, counsel or businesses involved in the case.
Passive online review
Publicly visible content only, following counsel's instructions on notification risk.
Concise juror summaries
Short, sourced notes organized by juror number for use at selection.
Optional trial monitoring
Continued passive review during trial, reported only to counsel.
How a Jury Research Engagement Runs
Counsel briefing
You share the issues, parties, court orders and any limits, and we confirm scope and cost in writing.
Readiness plan
We set priorities, sources and a report template before the list arrives.
Research sprint
Our PIs complete passive public-record research in the agreed priority order.
Delivery to counsel
Sourced summaries go only to the trial team, with a PI available for questions.
Permitted and prohibited juror research activities
| Activity | Generally permitted? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Searching public court records | Yes | Subject to any court order limiting research |
| Viewing public social media posts | Yes, passively | Counsel decides how to handle platforms that notify users of views |
| Sending a friend or follow request | No | Treated as communication with a juror |
| Contacting a juror's employer or family | No | Improper indirect contact |
| Using a fake or borrowed account to see private content | No | Deceptive and improper |
| Reporting apparent juror misconduct to counsel | Yes | Counsel decides on raising it with the court |
Trial Team Checklist for Juror Research
Settle these points before research begins.
Statewide coverage from Nashville
Birds Eye supports trial teams in state and federal courts across Tennessee, including Davidson, Williamson and Rutherford counties in Middle Tennessee, Knox and Hamilton counties in East Tennessee, and Shelby and Madison counties in West Tennessee. Practices for releasing juror information differ by court and by judge, so each engagement is planned around the specific courtroom, with PIs staffed to match the size of the panel and the time available before selection.
All service areasNashvilleMemphisKnoxvilleChattanoogaProcess serving
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a private investigator research potential jurors for a lawyer?
Yes, when the research is limited to public information, involves no contact and is directed and supervised by counsel. The lawyer remains responsible for making sure the work complies with ethics rules, local rules and any order from the presiding judge.
Can we look at a juror's social media during trial?
Passive review of publicly visible content is generally viewed as permissible, but some courts restrict it. Requesting access to private content is not. Some platforms notify users when their profile is viewed, and counsel should decide in advance whether and how to use those platforms.
What happens if research shows a juror lied during voir dire?
We report the finding and its source to counsel promptly. Counsel decides whether it is significant and how to raise it with the court. We never confront or contact the juror, and we do not share the information with anyone outside the trial team.
How much can be done if we only get the list shortly before selection?
Useful research is often possible in a short window when it is planned in advance. Priorities, sources and report format should be settled before the list arrives. For large panels, counsel can rank jurors or issues so the most important research is completed first.
Do you use paid data sources or only free public records?
We use lawful public records and commercially available public-record databases appropriate for litigation support, and verify matches against the court's identifiers where possible. We never obtain sealed information, credit reports or private account content about jurors.
Can you research jurors after the verdict?
Post-verdict research of public records may be possible, but contact with former jurors is governed by court rules and ethics rules that vary by situation. Any post-trial work is planned with counsel, and we do not contact jurors unless counsel has confirmed it is permitted.
Related pages
Plan Your Juror Research Before the List Arrives
Call or text (629) 310-8667 or email contact@delatorgroup.com to plan research around your trial date. Scope and cost are confirmed in writing first.
Photography: Nathan Cima (Unsplash License). Last reviewed . General information, not legal advice.
