The Disappearing Jury Trial
Today, fewer than 5% of all civil actions ever make their way to a Jury. As a result, communities have lost their voices in the outcomes of local legal disputes, and fewer matters are being resolved on their merits, more often compromised by concerns about time, cost, and comparisons to superficially similar cases.
Trial Law Meets Technology: Shawn Elliott’s Vision Behind Court of Public Opinion
About Us
Court of Public Opinion (CoPO) was created to counter the ongoing erosion of the Constitutional right to a trial by Jury. By combining technology with a reimagined Jury system, CoPO’s online Jurors offer insights that traditional Juries simply can’t.
Recognizing how the absence of Jurors is reshaping litigation, CoPO was founded by trial attorney Shawn Elliott, who brings over 30 years of legal experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants. He built CoPO to bring Jurors back into the process with a modern, tech-driven approach. The web-based platform allows Jurors to participate remotely while earning income. It gives attorneys powerful tools: from a Jury Instruction Generator to an integrated process for voir dire and Jury selection through our Jury Selection App.
Whether used alone or with our powerful Behind the Verdict tools, CoPO delivers meaningful Juror feedback, modernizing how cases are tested and bringing insight, perspective, and strategy to every case.
They’re Not Just for Trials Anymore…
CoPO’s Online Juries can render verdicts after an online trial, but that’s just the beginning. They’re also used in mediations and arbitrations to help resolve factual disputes that might prevent summary judgment. However, our most sought-after service is our online Jury FOCUS GROUPS.
Numbers Matter
A CoPO Online Jury isn’t limited to twelve plus two alternates. Litigants can select as many or as few Jurors as their case requires.
No Jury Summons
At CoPO, we don’t need to command Jurors to appear. Instead, registered Jurors from the locations specified by the Parties are electronically invited to participate if available. Jury selection follows, with no excusals required for unavailability or hardship.
Preempted Peremptories
When Parties provide a Statement of the Case and Witness List, Jurors must review these materials before accepting the invitation. Voir dire is conducted online, and Jury selection occurs before excused Jurors are owed a Jury fee.
Simplified Preparations
With CoPO’s Jury Instruction and Verdict Generators, preparing trial documents online is fast, intuitive, and stress-free.
More Effective Presentations
No more foam boards or oversized exhibits. In CoPO proceedings, video, evidence, and Jury Instructions are uploaded electronically and available throughout Juror deliberations.
E-Deliberations
Jurors deliberate in a secure, password-protected online forum. Parties can observe the discussion in real time.
Beyond the Verdict
No more chasing Jurors down hallways to understand their thinking. With CoPO, Parties can submit Post-Verdict Questionnaires to gather additional feedback, answered privately by compensated Jurors from home.
Deeper Analysis
Need more than a Questionnaire? CoPO offers Demographic Breakdowns showing how Jurors voted on each Verdict question, filtered by age, gender, race, income, and education level. Looking for deeper behavioral insight? CoPO’s Relevancy Meters track how much time each Juror spent reviewing specific testimony, evidence, or Jury Instructions. Additionally, with Case Ratings, you receive direct Juror feedback on a 0–10 scale.