The Courtroom as a Linguistic Arena: Language, Law, and the Pursuit of Justice in Criminal Trials 
Keynote Speaker: Dr Chris Heffer (Cardiff University)

In recent decades, linguistic approaches have become increasingly central to the study and practice of law, particularly through the development of systematic methods for analysing legal texts and courtroom interactions. This shift has been driven in part by the increased use of software-assisted tools, which offer empirical methods for uncovering patterns in large legal datasets that might otherwise remain obscured. Linguistic methods have not only enhanced our understanding of legal texts but have also begun to influence how legal practitioners and scholars conceptualise meaning, ambiguity, and interpretation in judicial settings. At the same time, research has emphasised the importance of defining what constitutes "legal language" itself, arguing that its boundaries are shaped not merely by lexical features but by the communicative context and the roles of participants involved. Together, these developments signal a growing recognition of language as both a tool and a subject of legal inquiry—one that demands rigorous, interdisciplinary methods to fully grasp its implications for justice, policy, and legal reasoning. 

The TRUE Project team at Swansea University will host this free, one-day, in-person workshop to deepen and extend its current research into the complex communicative dynamics of the courtroom and jury deliberation—specifically legal and lay discourse, negotiation of interactional roles, and juror reasoning of trial evidence. As emerging technologies reshape the courtroom, jurors are increasingly asked to evaluate complex, unfamiliar forms of digital evidence. Understanding how they do so—how they talk about it, challenge it, and build or withhold trust—is essential. The workshop will bring together established and early-career researchers across the globe who are at the forefront of conducting linguistic (or mixed methodology) research in a legal context. 

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From various disciplines, including linguistics, law, psychology and criminology, as well as the computer sciences, researchers are invited to present papers or works-in-progress relevant to the workshop theme. This workshop will prompt in-depth discussions regarding the evolving landscape of language use in criminal courtrooms and deliberations and will provide opportunities for researchers to receive constructive feedback on their work.

For general queries, please contact the workshop hosts, Rebecca Jenkins (rebecca.a.jenkins@swansea.ac.uk) and Professor Yvonne McDermott Rees (yvonne.mcdermottrees@swansea.ac.uk). ​