Standing Pat: The First Lady in Oliver Stone's Nixon

Why, love forswore me in my mother's womb And, for I should not deal in her soft laws, She did corrupt frail nature with some bribe … … … … … … … … To disproportion me in every part, Like to a chaos, or an unlicked bear whelp That carries no impression like the dam. Shakespeare's III Henry VI, 5.2.153-162 America cannot stand pat. Richard M. Nixon     

The effects of attorney presentation style,attorney gender,and juror gender on juror decisions

Extralegal characteristics of attorneys may play a significant role in the decision-making behavior of jurors. Presentation style, for example, is one factor to which trial lawyers pay a great deal of attention. However, a given style of speech may not be perceived equivalently when used by different speakers. The present study examined the effects of the defense attorney's presentation style and gender, and juror gender on jurors' verdicts and evaluation of the attorney and witness. Undergraduate college students read a brief summary of an assault-and-robbery case, viewed a videotape of either a passive or aggressive male or female attorney interrogating a witness, then rendered a verdict and rated the witness and attorney on characteristics such as competency, credibility, and assertiveness. The results indicated that, overall, aggressive attorneys were more successful at obtaining an acquittal for their clients than passive attorneys, and that male attorneys were more successful than female attorneys; presentation style also interacted with gender of attorney and juror. Some possible mechanisms for these effects are discussed.