The Role of Juror Demographics in Civil Trials

Shamena Anwar, Patrick Bayer, Randi Hjalmarsson

Published May 11, 2026

This analysis of civil jury trials over a 12-year period in Sarasota and Lake counties, Florida, indicates juror demographics play a different role in trial outcomes than what attorneys perceive. Although attorneys’ use of peremptory challenges suggest they view female, Black, and Hispanic jurors as more favorable to plaintiffs, the results indicate that women are less plaintiff-friendly, age matters, and race does not usually predict outcomes.

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Anwar, Shamena, Patrick Bayer, and Randi Hjalmarsson, The Role of Juror Demographics in Civil Trials. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2026. https://www.rand.org/pubs/working_papers/WRA4984-1.html.
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