Abstract
The correlation of legal safeguards and human psychology amplifying prejudice within the courtroom creates a perpetual challenge for those tasked with ensuring fairness in judicial proceedings. This paper focuses on the limitations of court mechanisms such as objections, jury instructions, and subsequent curative instructions in mitigating the effects of prejudicial evidence. Through case law coupled with cinematic examples and psychological theories, this paper highlights the battle between coexisting human psychology and prejudicial influences on jury decision-making. The proposed remedies within the text include enhanced jury education, pre-trial intervention, and post-trial juror reviews, all to minimize the prejudicial impact.
Recommended Citation
Harrison A. Boyd,
Prejudicial Impact vs. Human Psychology the Court System’s Forever Battle,
50
S. Ill. U. L.J.
356
(2026).
Available at:
https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/siulj/vol50/iss2/7