u/fiji_water_fountain

Has a sovereign client ever tried to file a complaint against you? How'd it go? Did they sign their paperwork with all rights reserved and a bloody fingerprint?

Hi all! I am a recently diagnosed autistic and I am not good at immediately reading people by their faces and body language. I also struggle to make eye contact and communicate verbally with someone simultaneously.

These are obviously important skills for picking a jury. I am <1 year into this job and chairing my first jury trial (misdemeanor assault and DV) in a couple of weeks. I'll be conducting voir dire. I'm concerned that my lack of eye contact will make jurors think I'm shifty or dishonest, and that my small talk will come across as robotic and practiced. I worry that I will overlook important social cues from potential jurors and not be able to exercise my strikes well. I am also on an unmasking journey and am increasingly aware of how forcing myself to mimic neurotypical behavior leads me to exhaustion and burnout.

I know that other members of this profession are neurodivergent and have some wisdom to share. Any ideas on things I can practice or be mindful of while I'm preparing? TIA!