Scenario analytics: analyzing jury verdicts to evaluate legal case outcomes

Abstract

Scenario Analytics is a type of analysis that focuses on the evaluation of different scenarios, their merits and their consequences. In the context of the legal domain, this could be in the form of analyzing large databases of legal cases, their facts and their claims, to answer questions such as: Do the current facts warrant litigation?, Is the litigation best pursued before a judge or a jury?, How long is it likely to take?, and What are the best strategies to use for achieving the most favorable outcome for the client? In this work, we report on research directed at answering such questions. We use one of a set of jury verdicts databases totaling nearly a half-million records. At the same time, we conduct a series of experiments that answer key questions and build, sequentially, a powerful data-driven legal decision support system, one that can assist an attorney to differentiate more effective from less effective legal principles and strategies. Ultimately, it represents a productivity tool that can help a litigation attorney make the most prudent decisions for his or her client.