How to Use Visuals in Your Closing Argument

If you operate in a jurisdiction that places a time limit on closing arguments, it can be tough to effectively recap all of the key points laid out in the case. You can’t rush through your presentation, of course, but you must also ensure you touch on all essential elements.  

Visual aids, like graphs and bulleted lists, can help you pace yourself. You can use the number of slides in your presentation as a subtle time prompt, for instance. If you have 20 minutes for closing statements and ten slides, you’ll know to progress through one slide approximately every two minutes. 

People forget roughly 50% of new information just 60 minutes after it’s presented to them. Within 24 hours, that number jumps to 70%. The good news is that visuals can help boost recall and remind your audience of critical aspects of the case just before they enter deliberations.  

If you pair a visual aid with your oral recap of the case, it can make your closing statements more memorable. You can create slides that reiterate a timeline of events or remind jurors of key evidence. Ultimately, you want them to remember as much of your presentation as possible when making their final decision, and strong visuals will help accomplish that.

Closing arguments are an excellent time to replay any videos or animations that you introduced earlier. Showing jurors a clip of an accident recreation or retelling your client’s story can trigger an emotional response that influences deliberations and helps drive home the impact the incident had on those involved. As mentioned earlier, though, it’s important to keep the limited time available to you during the closing arguments in mind. 

MediVisuals + High Impact can provide a condensed version of your visuals, specifically for the final statements, allowing you to weave the content into your oral presentation and effectively engage with the jurors. 

MediVisuals + High Impact makes a wide range of visual assets for our legal clients, including still-frame imagery, enhanced medical reports, motion graphics, and full-length recreation animations. Whether you need to transform your client’s story into a visual format or recap the key points of your argument, we can help.

MediVisuals + High Impact doesn’t just provide you with compelling visuals, though. Our team of strategists collaborates with you to determine the best way to weave graphics into your presentation. Book a call with our team today to learn more.