The effects of note-taking and trial transcript access on mock jury decisions in a complex civil trial

Mock juries were either permitted to take notes or not and provided with ac cess to the trial transcript during deliberations or were not given access. Juries viewed a videotape of a complex trial involving multiple plaintiffs . Note-taking juries were able to distinguish among differentially worthy p laintiffs when assigning awards while non note takers did not distinguish a mong the plaintiffs and allocated higher overall compensation. Note-taking was significantly more effective than access to trial transcripts in increa sing jury competence. Note-taking juries appeared better able to recognize probative evidence and reject false lures than were non note-taking juries. Limits and implications of the present study were discussed.