there is an optimal rank order of this type, it much be the stated one. The proof of Proposition \[pro:main\_special\] can be understood without all the details of the ability-signal model of Section \[sec:preliminaries\], but the reader may wish to reread the proof again after that section.

\[pro:main\_special\] Suppose we label the abilities of the three jurors as $a,b,c$, with $0\leq
a<b<c\leq1$. If there is a unique voting order which maximizes reliability that is independent of the actual values of $a,b,c$, then it must be $b$ first, then $c$, then $a$.

First suppose $c$ is close to $1$ and $a$ and $b$ are both close to $0$, what we call “two yokels and a boffin”, where the boffin has ability $c$ and the dumber an smarter yokel have respective abilities $a$ and $b$. We establish in this case the the stated order maximizes reliability, so if some order is optimal for all juries, it must be this one.

With our assumption of honest voting, either yokel voting after the boffin will have probability about $3/4 \approx p_{c}$ that the boffin’s vote is correct (even after seeing their own pretty useless signals), and hence will copy the vote of the boffin. 