One of the most common mistakes I see attorneys make in voir dire is unintentionally putting jurors in the wrong seat.

When jurors answer your questions, they're automatically imagining themselves in that situation—and their brains are looking for ways they would have avoided the outcome.

That's not because they're against you.

It's because that's how people are wired.

In this week's podcast, I break down:

• What it means to put jurors in the right seat
• How defensive attribution shapes juror thinking
• Why some questions accidentally create defense arguments
• How to structure questions that generate plaintiff-friendly principles

It's a simple concept that can completely change the answers you get in voir dire.

Love,
Sari

P.S. If you're ready to go deeper on voir dire, join me June 17–18 in Portland for my live Voir Dire Masterclass. We'll workshop your actual case, build stronger funnels, and help you avoid the common mistakes that can derail jury selection.
→ Grab Your Seat NOW: https://sariswears.com/voir-dire

Quote:

"When jurors hear a story involving danger, their brains automatically place themselves into that situation and start looking for all the ways they would have avoided the outcome. That's not because they're against you. It's because that's exactly how the human brain is designed to work."

Sari de la Motte

Can't get enough of me? Connect with me here:

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/saridelamotte/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SariSwears

Watch on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@SariDLM

Free FB Group for Plaintiff & Criminal Defense Attorneys
https://www.facebook.com/groups/fromhostagetohero/

You want the breakthrough.

You want the next level.

What if the thing keeping you stuck isn't your trial skills, but the habits driving them?

In this week's podcast episode, I'm breaking down the hidden thought patterns and old wiring that keep trial lawyers operating on autopilot—even when they desperately want change.

We're talking about:

• why success still feels hard

• the habit of overworking

• how "authenticity" can become an excuse

• the money stories running your life

• and the real reason transformation feels so uncomfortable

Because here's the truth: What got you here won't get you there.

Love,
Sari

Quote:

"What got you here is not going to get you there… and what got you here are the habits that you created a long time ago. Those habits sometimes have a voice. That's the saboteur that we've talked about. But oftentimes, the problem is not that we have the habits, it's the fact that we don't uncover the habits. We don't even know that they are there."

Sari de la Motte

Can't get enough of me? Connect with me here:

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/saridelamotte/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SariSwears

Watch on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@SariDLM

Free FB Group for Plaintiff & Criminal Defense Attorneys
https://www.facebook.com/groups/fromhostagetohero/

Most lawyers focus on how to argue damages.

Very few spend enough time truly understanding the loss.

And jurors can feel that.

In this week's episode, I break down the 3 components every damages argument needs:

• Understanding the loss

• Valuing the loss

• Communicating the loss

We also talk about:

• Why metaphor matters

• How small stories hit harder than big explanations

• A simple framework I use to think about non-economic damages

Because damages aren't about formulas.

They're about helping jurors understand what was taken.

Love,
Sari

P.S. If this episode hit home for you, my live webinar on May 28th is going even deeper into how the H2H Method™ helps jurors connect to what actually matters in trial. We're going beyond the FHTH book and into what works in today's courtrooms.
Register now → sariswears.com/webinar

Quote:

"When everything says trial should be this very formal, sterile process, we have to fight against that. It's a very human process. The things jurors talk about in voir dire — family, health, purpose, connection — those are the exact things your plaintiff lost."

Sari de la Motte

Can't get enough of me? Connect with me here:

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/saridelamotte/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SariSwears

Watch on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@SariDLM

Free FB Group for Plaintiff & Criminal Defense Attorneys
https://www.facebook.com/groups/fromhostagetohero/

Today is my 54th birthday, which honestly feels surreal to say out loud.

And it got me reflecting on how I somehow went from being a classically trained pianist… to becoming the "Queen of Voir Dire."

There was no grand plan.

No moment where I suddenly felt ready.

Just a series of moments where my want became bigger than my worry.

In this week's podcast, I share the full story of how I found this work, the risks I took before I could afford to take them, the mentors who changed my life, and the 7 biggest lessons I've learned over the last 24+ years.

But more than anything, this episode is about what happens when you stop waiting for certainty and start trusting what you really want.

And THANK YOU for being part of this community and this journey with me. 💖

Love,
Sari

P.S. Speaking of becoming the "Queen of Voir Dire"… I just announced a brand new live webinar happening May 28th! We're going beyond the FHTH book and into how the H2H Voir Dire method performs in today's courtrooms.
Register now → sariswears.com/webinar

Quote:

"The people who change their lives aren't the ones with the perfect roadmap. They're the ones willing to keep going before they know exactly how it all works out."

Sari de la Motte

Can't get enough of me? Connect with me here:

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/saridelamotte/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SariSwears

Watch on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@SariDLM

Free FB Group for Plaintiff & Criminal Defense Attorneys
https://www.facebook.com/groups/fromhostagetohero/

You're spending your voir dire on the wrong thing.

And it's not subtle.

You're trying to get ahead of the defense's argument—funneling defense points, repeating their story, mapping out everything wrong with what they might bring up.

Meanwhile, your jury is soaking up defense point after defense point.

That's the problem.

Because what you give airtime to, they give weight to.

In this week's podcast, I break down the 4 topics you should avoid in voir dire, because they quietly hand power to the other side (even when you think you're doing it right).

Love,
Sari

P.S. If you want to go deeper on this, join me LIVE on May 28th for my Beyond the Book Webinar. I'll walk you through the H2H Method™ and how it actually works in real cases and you can even bring your own case for live feedback.
Register NOW → sariswears.com/webinar

You might be asking the wrong questions.

Not bad ones.

Just ones that never get past small talk.

And if that's happening in your voir dire… you're missing the moment where jurors actually connect.

Because connection doesn't come from:

"Where are you from?"

"What do you do?"

"Have you ever…?"

It comes from something deeper.

From getting jurors to talk about what they value and actually staying there long enough for it to mean something.

Most attorneys don't do this.

Not because they don't care… but because they've never been shown how.

And that gap? It shows up later in your damages.

Coach K and I break all of this down in this week's podcast:

• What a resonant conversation actually is

• Why it changes the way jurors see your case

• And how to start shifting your questions (without it feeling forced or awkward)

If your jury feels a little disconnected… this is likely why.

Love,
Sari

Download FREE Worksheet

Quote:

"What we're really wanting from our jurors is to invest in the process. And the best time to do that is in voir dire — when they can talk about themselves and what they value… because at its core, what our plaintiff attorneys are fighting for are human values, things that we all care about. And that's what was taken in every single case."

Sari de la Motte

Can't get enough of me? Connect with me here:

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/saridelamotte/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SariSwears

Watch on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@SariDLM

Free FB Group for Plaintiff & Criminal Defense Attorneys
https://www.facebook.com/groups/fromhostagetohero/

I'm seeing this a lot lately, so let me say it straight: If your case feels too simple, you're probably FINALLY getting it right.

You keep trying to add more: more detail, more explanation, more persuasion.

But jurors don't need more.

They need clarity.

When you hit the point where someone hears your case and thinks, "Well… duh," that's the sweet spot.

Because "duh" means:

• It's common sense
• It's easy to understand
• It's hard to argue with

And most importantly, it triggers the question you want: "If it's so obvious… why didn't they do it?"

That's where your power is.

Not in being clever.

Not in making it complex.

In making it undeniable.

So if part of you is thinking, "This feels too basic…"

Good. Lean in.

Love,
Sari

Quote:

"If your case makes someone think, 'Well, duh,' that's when you know you've got it right. It means it's clear, it's common sense, and it's something no one can argue with. That's where your power is — not in being clever, but in being undeniable."

Sari de la Motte

Can't get enough of me? Connect with me here:

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/saridelamotte/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SariSwears

Watch on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@SariDLM

Free FB Group for Plaintiff & Criminal Defense Attorneys
https://www.facebook.com/groups/fromhostagetohero/

Have you ever caught yourself thinking:

"Why does everything feel so overwhelming lately?"

It might not be your caseload.

It might not be your schedule.

It might be this: You're making thousands of decisions every single day.

Big ones. Small ones. Constant ones.

And it's draining you.

In this week's episode, I break down the exact tools I use to cut through decision fatigue, so you can STOP spinning and START moving.

Here's a quick look:

• Why "just thinking about it" keeps you stuck (and what actually works instead)

• How to create a personal litmus test so decisions become automatic

• The simple shift that instantly reduces overwhelm (hint: zoom out)

Because the goal isn't to make more decisions.

It's to make fewer and better ones.

If you've been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or mentally tapped out… this one's for you.

Love,
Sari

P.S. If you're stuck between options right now, don't overthink it, grab the free decision-making download and work through it step-by-step: https://sariswears.com/decisions

Quote:

"The average person makes like 35,000 decisions a day… and for trial attorneys, you're making more high-stakes decisions than most people. All of these decisions lead to overwhelm."

Sari de la Motte

Can't get enough of me? Connect with me here:

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/saridelamotte/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SariSwears

Watch on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@SariDLM

Free FB Group for Plaintiff & Criminal Defense Attorneys
https://www.facebook.com/groups/fromhostagetohero/