Robert F. Bettler, Jr., head of the Atlanta office of DecisionQuest, has more than 20 years of experience in trial consulting, along with decades of experience in fields spanning the military, engineering, business, education, medicine and neuropsychology. This rich and diverse background has been of great benefit to a wide variety of clients.
Dr. Bettler has conducted a number of qualitative and quantitative research projects, including: focus groups, mock trials, trial simulations; community attitude surveys; change of venue studies; post-trial juror interviews; reviews of social scientific, medical, and legal research literature on issues of interest in specific cases; assisting attorneys in theme development, case strategy, preparation for mediation, jury selection and with in-trial consultations. His trial consulting engagements have brought him into a wide array of case types, from capital to white collar criminal cases, from intentional tort to contract cases, from product liability to toxic tort cases, from intellectual property to medical malpractice and beyond. Drawing upon his experience as a statistician whose research has been published in the peer-reviewed social psychological literature, he has implemented methodological and analytical innovations in juror profiling that have contributed to the success of numerous cases.
Various state and local Bar Associations have enjoyed Dr. Bettler’s continuing legal education seminars on the social psychology of trial advocacy and juror decision making, and he has authored several articles on these subjects, along with articles in the peer-reviewed psychological press on personality research and grant-funded technical reports in program evaluation and criminal justice. In addition, as a former university lecturer and professor, Dr. Bettler has taught graduate-level courses in personality theory and assessment, statistics, and advanced social psychology at the University of Louisville.
Select Media Appearances:
- June 11, 2019. CourtTV. On the Winslow case.
- March 6, 2019. CBS46 Atlanta. On the R. Kelly case.
Select Publications:
- Bettler, R. F., Jr., & Anthony, P.K. (Feb. 4, 2008). Sometimes jurors are just flat-out prejudiced. Original title, Change of venue studies in civil litigation. The National Law Journal.
- Bettler, R. F., Jr., Spievak, E. R. (January 2008). The Art of War for Litigators. The Practical Litigator, ALI-ABA.
- Spievak, E.R., & Bettler, R.F, Jr. (2009). An Attributional Sequence Model of Jury Decision Making in Civil Torts. Psychological Reports, 105, 137-143.
- Bettler, R. F., Jr. (Winter 2012). How Jurors Judge Attorneys. Georgia Defense Lawyer.
Select Speaking Engagements:
- Bettler, R.F. Jr. (June 2018). The Psychology of the State of the Art Defense. CLE presentation at Defense Asbestos Litigation Seminar in Nashville, Tennessee.
- Bettler, R.F. Jr. (July 2018). Trial of a Cosmetic Talc Mesothelioma Case. Moderated a mock trial at HarrisMartin’s California Asbestos Litigation Conference in Beverly Hills, California.
- Bettler, R.F. Jr. (January 2019). Brave New World: How the Internet is Impacting American Courts. CLE presentation at South Carolina Bar Association Convention in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
- Bettler, R.F. Jr. (March 2019) Alternative Approaches to Jury Selection: Using Data and Opponent’s Perspectives to Play Your Best Hand in Jury Selection. CLE presentation at Trial Skills and Damages Seminar, DRI in Las Vegas, Nevada.
