Also known as: instruct · instructs · instructed · instructing · instructions · jury instruction
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
A direction from a judge to a jury concerning the law to apply or a fact to accept as established. The court must provide instructions that enable the jury to reach a verdict consistent with the governing legal standards.
Ines Ibarra sued Icarus Aviation after a plane crash. The court took judicial notice that the runway was 8000 feet long. At the close of evidence the judge instructed the jury to treat the runway length as conclusively established when deciding whether the pilot had sufficient distance to land safely.
India Inoue sued Ironwood Capital for breach of fiduciary duty. The court submitted a general verdict form together with written questions asking whether the defendant had disclosed a conflict of interest. The judge instructed the jury to answer the questions in writing and to return both the verdict and the answers.
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Ingrid Innes paid a nonlawyer to prepare divorce papers. At trial the judge instructed the jury on the elements of unauthorized practice of law and directed it to decide whether the nonlawyer had given legal advice. The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff after applying those instructions.
Isaac Irving was injured when a conveyor belt at Innovate Pharmaceuticals lacked a guard. After the accident the company installed a guard. At trial the judge instructed the jury that evidence of the guard could be considered only on the issue of feasibility and not to prove negligence.
Ibrahim Iqbal sued Interlink Communications for defamation. Before the close of evidence Ibrahim filed written requests asking the court to instruct the jury on the elements of defamation and the actual-malice standard. He served copies on opposing counsel as required by the rules.
Idina Iverson sued her former law firm for malpractice alleging overbilling. The firm requested a limiting instruction directing the jury to consider Iverson's prior discovery responses only on the fee dispute and not for any other purpose. The court gave the instruction and the jury returned a defense verdict.
In a civil case the court must instruct the jury to accept the noticed fact as conclusive. In a criminal case the court must instruct the jury that it may or may not accept the noticed fact as conclusive.
The court must give the instructions and explanations necessary to enable the jury to render a general verdict and answer the questions in writing, and must direct the jury to do both.
A party may file requests for instructions on issues that could not reasonably have been anticipated by an earlier time that the court set for requests.
Evidence of subsequent measures is not admissible to prove a need for a warning or instruction, though it may be admitted for another purpose such as proving feasibility of precautionary measures.
…a principal officer to perform duties enjoined or intrusted to him by the President relative to correspondences, commissions, instructions, negotiations with public ministers, memorials and other matters respecting foreign affairs as the President should assign. Respecting the powers given and duties imposed by this act, no…