I hope I’m just paranoid

Today I made a little bit of money. The first in 2 yrs and one week. It felt pretty good, until I came home and explained to my husband what it all entailed (without going into too much detail). Now I feel as though I might have participated in some moral wrong doing…

The gig was to participate in a discussion thing about some lawsuit and supposedly both sides were presented to everyone (some 30+ people) who were there. And then smaller groups were broken up and we had group discussions on the arguments we heard. Deliberations took place and then we came up with answers / opinions based on the presentations and evidences given by both sides.

We all had to sign waivers of this and that, confidentially papers and surveys and lots of other writing. We were told these lawyers who made the presentations represents respective defendants and plaintiffs in the case (the case is still ongoing). In our smaller group, I specifically asked whether these lawyers are actual lawyers representing who they said they were, the moderator’s answer was “yes.” I’m not sure why, but no one asked whether this was a legal thing they were doing or this was practiced in many lawsuits - to ask the average Joe to participate so they — whoever “they” are — to “gauge/anticipate” questions and answers. In hindsight, this could very well have been all orchestrated by only one side of the case to “test the water” so to speak in the hopes to gain a little extra upper hand in the lawsuit.

Everyone was paid for their time and participation.

Am I wrong to think this? Do these kind of ’surveys’ happen all the time, with both parties involved? Why not just wait until the real court case? Why would a survey thing (mock trial) be done to a case that is still ongoing? What purpose does it serve, and to who’s interest? Whoever paid for the entire event, right? I’m feeling anxious thinking what I might have aided unknowingly.