Cassandra Starosta is an FLC trial consultant and research analyst, specializing in civil and commercial litigation as well as securities law. Ms. Starosta contributes to pre-trial research projects for plaintiffs and defendants in federal and state court cases. Her expertise lies in conducting comprehensive quantitative and qualitative jury research analyses, covering witness credibility, case strengths and weaknesses, and jurors’ unanswered questions.
With a Master in Forensic Psychology from Carleton University, Ms. Starosta earned recognition for academic excellence and a rigorous thesis, including the prestigious senate medal. Her thesis focused on exploring mock jurors’ perceived prototypicality of sexual assault scenarios, providing insights into one of the mechanisms influencing their decisions.
Throughout her academic journey, Ms. Starosta’s research concentrated on the intricate dynamics of jurors’ decision-making processes in sexual assault cases. This involved delving into the impact of extra-legal information, such as complainant/defendant gender, appearance, and type of assault, on shaping jurors’ perspectives. Additionally, she conducted research on jurors’ decisions in police-involved shooting cases and explored the influence of defendant races.
Ms. Starosta has shared her insights at esteemed psychology conferences, including the American Psychology Association, The American Psychology and Law Society, and the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Additionally, her contributions have been acknowledged in journals such as the Journal of Interpersonal Relations, Intergroup Relations and Identity.