The interest in the research conducted on the level of understanding that jurors have of the instructions used in Florida criminal trials, the impact of time delay on juror comprehension, the value of reading a copy of the instructions as they were presented orally by the judge, and the relationship between comprehension of the law and attitude toward it, convinced the Florida Board of Regents to establish a research center. The purpose of the center is to combine the skills and knowledge of the legal, communication, and behavioral disciplines so as to examine the trial process and increase the efficiency of this forum for conflict resolution. Since the founding of the Institute for Study of the Trial in 1978, more than 200 judges, lawyers, and social researchers have attended two annual conferences. Research currently underway includes studies of attitudes toward capital punishment, the impact of defendants taking the stand in their own behalf, and the relationship between jury verdicts and the seriousness of the crime. Several educational projects and communication workshops are also underway. The appearance of a new journal, "Communications and the Law," has further helped bridge the gap between the theory advancement concerns of the communication journals and the real world applicability demanded of the legal publications. (HOD)