One character on “Bull” that had yet to take center stage is the team’s in-house stylist, Chunk Palmer. Chunk’s role is to ensure that the client’s wardrobe matches the narrative that Dr. Bull constructs. While each episode has granted Chunk a few minutes of airtime, this week the entire plot focused on fashion. The case at hand involved the murder of a famous designer, and the episode was essentially an hour-long whodunit. The police have their man, but Dr. Bull is not convinced and takes up the defense.

If the idea of employing a fashion expert on your litigation team seems outrageous, think again. There is overwhelming data demonstrating that a party’s appearance influences the jury’s opinion of the case. For example, in the murder trial of Casey Anthony, the prosecution tried to paint her as a party girl. The defense successfully retorted by dressing Casey in conservative clothing, with makeup and hairstyle befitting of a grieving mother. Likewise, in the case of the Aurora theater shooting, the defense attorney seemingly encouraged the shooter to maintain his bright orange-dyed hair and untidy clothing in order to bolster his insanity defense. The jury draws upon this visual information, whether knowingly or unknowingly, to reach conclusions. When appearances match the narrative, jurors more readily accept the story.

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