Jury instructions guide the jury on how to apply the facts to the law
Written jury instructions are a set of plainly stated rules and guidelines that a jury must abide by in applying the law to the facts.
At the conclusion of the case, but before the jury deliberation commences, the judge will read the jury instructions to the jury.
These instructions can be taken into the jury room for reference and guidance.
Jurors are finders of fact. They do not decide the law. Jury instructions provide the specific laws and rules they must follow to determine whether a fact is true or false.
Jury instructions in civil matters are different from those in criminal matters. The major difference is in the standard of proof required to prevail.
In criminal cases, the standard of proof to prevail is to prove the case “beyond a reasonable doubt.” In civil cases, the standard of proof to prevail is to prove the case by a “preponderance of the evidence.”
