trialdex jury instructions

federal and state pattern jury instructions

full text search
federal state (AL-LA) state (MA-WA) (explanation)
Note. If you have proper access, you can also full text search for sets of instructions filed in trial court cases on Westlaw and Lexis.
federal pattern instructions [state pattern instructions]
An unofficial 2002 set of First Circuit civil instructions (last updated in 2011-12) regarding employment discrimination, excessive force, maritime employee personal injury, and railroad employee personal injury are posted on the Maine District Court Web site. They are "are no longer updated." First Circuit criminal instructions adopted in 1997 no longer appear on the First Circuit Web site. But, starting in 2010, an updated copy of those instructions and annotations has been posted (and regularly updated by Chief District Judge Nancy Torresenon) on the Maine District Court site. The last update was June 24, 2019.
The Second Circuit does not have pattern instructions.
The Third Circuit has official civil (updated 7/2019) and criminal (updated 10/2017) model jury instructions.
The Fourth Circuit does not have official pattern instructions. However, former AUSA Eric Wm. Ruschky is the author of a set of regularly updated Fourth Circuit criminal instructions and annotations, Pattern Jury Instructions for Federal Criminal Cases, District of South Carolina. The current (July 1, 2019) version is posted on the District of South Carolina Web site. Former U.S. Magistrate Judge Carl Horn's Federal Criminal Jury Instructions for the Fourth Circuit are also widely used, but are not posted on the Internet.
The Fifth Circuit has official civil (updated 10/20/16) and criminal (2015 edition with 3/28/17 addendum) pattern jury instructions.
The Sixth Circuit has official criminal (updated 8/2019) (but not civil) pattern jury instructions.
The Seventh Circuit has official civil (updated 08/2017) and criminal (updated 4/15/2019) pattern jury instructions.
The Eighth Circuit has official civil (updated 2019) and criminal (2017 edition with 9/27/2019 supplement) and death penalty model instructions.
The Ninth Circuit has official civil (updated 10/2019) and criminal (updated 12/2019) model instructions.
The Tenth Circuit has official criminal (updated 2/2018), (but not civil) pattern jury instructions.
The Eleventh Circuit has official civil (updated 1/2019) and criminal (updated 1/2019) pattern jury instructions.
The District of Columbia does not have official pattern jury instructions. Lexis sells Standardized Civil Jury Instructions for the District of Columbia ("blue book") and Criminal Jury Instructions for the District of Columbia ("red book").
The Federal Judicial Conference subcommittee drafted a set of jury instructions in 1982 that were revised in 1987, but have not been revised since then. The subcommittee that drafted them no longer exists, and there are no plans for a new edition. The 1987 revised version is posted on the Federal Judicial Center Web site for "historical interest."

state pattern instructions

Some of the instructions linked below are unofficial or behind pay walls. Links to these versions are provided only where official versions are not freely available on the Internet. Always remember that instructions from secondary sources may not be up-to-date, so always check the official site.
Alabama Pattern Civil Instructions (third edition) can be accessed on Westlaw. There is a copy of the second edition on a private attorney Web site. The criminal instructions are freely available on the Alabama Supreme Court and State Law Library Web site.
Alaska civil and criminal pattern jury instructions are freely available on the Alaska Court System Web site.
Arizona civil jury instructions are freely available on the Arizona Civil Jury Instructions Committee page, and criminal instructions are freely available on the Criminal Jury Instructions Committee page.
Arkansas civil and criminal instructions are freely available on the Arkansas Judiciary Web site.
California civil and criminal instructions are freely available on the California Judicial Branch Web site.
Colorado civil jury instructions are freely available on the Pattern Civil Jury Instructions Committee page and criminal jury instructions are freely available on the Model Criminal Jury Instructions Committee page of the Colorado Judicial Branch. That latter page also includes a link to the Colorado Criminal Reporter's Online Update, an informal publication that compiles notes about case law developments that may show up later in the state's annual updates of its criminal instructions.
Connecticut civil and criminal pattern instructions are freely available on State of Connecticut Judicial Branch Web site.
Delaware civil and criminal pattern jury instructions are freely available on the Delaware Superior Court Web site.
Florida civil and criminal instructions are freely available on the Florida Standard Jury Instructions Web site.
Georgia makes you pay for access to their Suggested Pattern Jury Instructions. They are also available on Westlaw (civil) (criminal) and LexisNexis.
Hawaii civil and criminal Standard Jury Instructions are freely available on the Circuit Court Standard Jury Instructions page on the Hawaii State Judiciary Web site.
Idaho civil and criminal jury instructions are freely available on the Idaho Supreme Court Web site.
Illinois civil and criminal Pattern Jury Instructions are freely available on the Illinois Courts Web site.
Indiana Jury Instructions are freely available on the Indiana Civil and Criminal Jury Instructions page on the Indiana Judges Association Web site, but do not include comments or annotations, which must be purchase separately.
Iowa civil instructions require a State Bar login. The criminal instructions may be accessed the same way, but a recent copy is also posted on the site. A 2012 copy of the civil instructions is archived here.
Kansas instructions require a member login. They may also be accessed on Westlaw (civil) (criminal) and LexisNexis.
Kentucky civil and criminal instructions can be accessed on LexisNexis.
Louisiana jury instructions are available on Westlaw (civil) (criminal).
Maine civil and criminal are available on LexisNexis.
Maryland civil and criminal instructions are available on LexisNexis.
Massachusetts civil jury instructions are available on Westlaw and LexisNexis. District Court criminal instructions freely available and linked here. Superior Court criminal instructions are also on the site, but must be searched for individually.
Michigan civil and criminal instructions are freely available on the Michigan Courts Web site.
Mississippi civil and criminal instructions are freely available on the State of Mississippi Judiciary Web site.
Missouri civil and criminal jury instructions are a "member benefit of the Missouri Bar." The civil instructions are also available on Westlaw
Minnesota civil and criminal instructions are available on Westlaw.
Montana criminal instructions are posted on the Criminal Jury Instructions Commission page of the Montana Judicial Branch Web site. The State Bar of Montana sells civil instructions.
Nebraska civil and criminal instructions may be accessed on westlaw.
Nevada unofficial civil instructions are posted on the Nevada Law Blog and on the Clark County Library Web site.
New Hampshire civil instructions are available on LexisNexis. Draft criminal instructions are freely available on the New Hampshire Bar Association Web page.
New Jersey civil and criminal instructions are freely available on the New Jersey Courts site.
New Mexico Uniform civil and criminal jury instructions are freely available on the New Mexico Compilation Commission Web site.
New York civil instructions are on Westlaw. Criminal instructions are freely available on the New York Courts Web site.
North Carolina civil and criminal instructions are freely available on the UNC School of Government Web site.
North Dakota civil and criminal instructions apparently require a casemaker login (a link on the page suggesting otherwise does not work).
Ohio civil and criminal instructions are on Westlaw and LexisNexis.
Oklahoma civil, criminal, and juvenile instructions are freely available on the Oklahoma State Courts Network Web site.
Oregon civil and criminal instructions are on Westlaw and LexisNexis.
Pennsylvania civil and criminal instructions are on Westlaw and LexisNexis.
Rhode Island model civil instructions are on LexisNexis.
South Carolina civil and criminal instructions are on westlaw and LexisNexis.
South Dakota pattern jury instructions appear to be out of print.
Tennessee pattern civil and criminal instructions are on Westlaw and LexisNexis.
Texas civil and Criminal Jury Charges are on Westlaw and LexisNexis.
Utah civil and criminal Model Jury Instructions are freely available on the Utah Courts Web site.
Vermont civil and criminal jury instructions are freely available on the Vermont Bar Association Web site.
Virginia civil and criminal Model Jury Instructions are on Westlaw and LexisNexis.
Washington pattern civil and criminal jury instructions are freely available on a Web page maintained by Thomson Reuters under contract with the Washington Supreme Court Committee on Jury Instructions.
West Virginia "Instructions for Virginia and West Virginia" are on LexisNexis. There is a set of criminal instructions authored by the West Virginia Public Defender Services and posted on the Public Defender Web site.
Wisconsin civil, criminal, and "children" jury instructions are authored by the University of Wisconsin Law School, and available on fastcase.
Wyoming jury instructions may be purchased from the Wyoming State Bar.

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federal and state pattern jury instructions full text search federal state (AL-LA) state (MA-WA) (explanation) Note. If you have proper access, you can also full text search for sets of instructions filed in trial court cases on Westlaw and Lexis. federal pattern instructions [state pattern instructions] An unofficial 2002 set of First Circuit civil instructions (last updated in 2011-12) regarding employment discrimination, excessive force, maritime employee personal injury, and railroad employee personal injury are posted on the Maine District Court Web site. They are "are no longer updated." First Circuit criminal instructions adopted in 1997 no longer appear on the First Circuit Web site. But, starting in 2010, an updated copy of those instructions and annotations has been posted (and regularly updated by Chief District Judge Nancy Torresenon) on the Maine District Court site. The last update was June 24, 2019. The Second Circuit does not have pattern instructions. The Third Circuit has official civil (updated 7/2019) and criminal (updated 10/2017) model jury instructions. The Fourth Circuit does not have official pattern instructions. However, former AUSA Eric Wm. Ruschky is the author of a set of regularly updated Fourth Circuit criminal instructions and annotations, Pattern Jury Instructions for Federal Criminal Cases, District of South Carolina. The current (July 1, 2019) version is posted on the District of South Carolina Web site. Former U.S. Magistrate Judge Carl Horn's Federal Criminal Jury Instructions for the Fourth Circuit are also widely used, but are not posted on the Internet. The Fifth Circuit has official civil (updated 10/20/16) and criminal (2015 edition with 3/28/17 addendum) pattern jury instructions. The Sixth Circuit has official criminal (updated 8/2019) (but not civil) pattern jury instructions. The Seventh Circuit has official civil (updated 08/2017) and criminal (updated 4/15/2019) pattern jury instructions. The Eighth Circuit has official civil (updated 2019) and criminal (2017 edition with 9/27/2019 supplement) and death penalty model instructions. The Ninth Circuit has official civil (updated 10/2019) and criminal (updated 12/2019) model instructions. The Tenth Circuit has official criminal (updated 2/2018), (but not civil) pattern jury instructions. The Eleventh Circuit has official civil (updated 1/2019) and criminal (updated 1/2019) pattern jury instructions. The District of Columbia does not have official pattern jury instructions. Lexis sells Standardized Civil Jury Instructions for the District of Columbia ("blue book") and Criminal Jury Instructions for the District of Columbia ("red book"). The Federal Judicial Conference subcommittee drafted a set of jury instructions in 1982 that were revised in 1987, but have not been revised since then. The subcommittee that drafted them no longer exists, and there are no plans for a new edition. The 1987 revised version is posted on the Federal Judicial Center Web site for "historical interest." state pattern instructions Some of the instructions linked below are unofficial or behind pay walls. Links to these versions are provided only where official versions are not freely available on the Internet. Always remember that instructions from secondary sources may not be up-to-date, so always check the official site. Alabama Pattern Civil Instructions (third edition) can be accessed on Westlaw. There is a copy of the second edition on a private attorney Web site. The criminal instructions are freely available on the Alabama Supreme Court and State Law Library Web site. Alaska civil and criminal pattern jury instructions are freely available on the Alaska Court System Web site. Arizona civil jury instructions are freely available on the Arizona Civil Jury Instructions Committee page, and criminal instructions are freely available on the Criminal Jury Instructions Committee page. Arkansas civil and criminal instructions are freely available on the Arkansas Judiciary Web site. California civil and criminal instructions are freely available on the California Judicial Branch Web site. Colorado civil jury instructions are freely available on the Pattern Civil Jury Instructions Committee page and criminal jury instructions are freely available on the Model Criminal Jury Instructions Committee page of the Colorado Judicial Branch. That latter page also includes a link to the Colorado Criminal Reporter's Online Update, an informal publication that compiles notes about case law developments that may show up later in the state's annual updates of its criminal instructions. Connecticut civil and criminal pattern instructions are freely available on State of Connecticut Judicial Branch Web site. Delaware civil and criminal pattern jury instructions are freely available on the Delaware Superior Court Web site. Florida civil and criminal instructions are freely available on the Florida Standard Jury Instructions Web site. Georgia makes you pay for access to their Suggested Pattern Jury Instructions. They are also available on Westlaw (civil) (criminal) and LexisNexis. Hawaii civil and criminal Standard Jury Instructions are freely available on the Circuit Court Standard Jury Instructions page on the Hawaii State Judiciary Web site. Idaho civil and criminal jury instructions are freely available on the Idaho Supreme Court Web site. Illinois civil and criminal Pattern Jury Instructions are freely available on the Illinois Courts Web site. Indiana Jury Instructions are freely available on the Indiana Civil and Criminal Jury Instructions page on the Indiana Judges Association Web site, but do not include comments or annotations, which must be purchase separately. Iowa civil instructions require a State Bar login. The criminal instructions may be accessed the same way, but a recent copy is also posted on the site. A 2012 copy of the civil instructions is archived here. Kansas instructions require a member login. They may also be accessed on Westlaw (civil) (criminal) and LexisNexis. Kentucky civil and criminal instructions can be accessed on LexisNexis. Louisiana jury instructions are available on Westlaw (civil) (criminal). Maine civil and criminal are available on LexisNexis. Maryland civil and criminal instructions are available on LexisNexis. Massachusetts civil jury instructions are available on Westlaw and LexisNexis. District Court criminal instructions freely available and linked here. Superior Court criminal instructions are also on the site, but must be searched for individually. Michigan civil and criminal instructions are freely available on the Michigan Courts Web site. Mississippi civil and criminal instructions are freely available on the State of Mississippi Judiciary Web site. Missouri civil and criminal jury instructions are a "member benefit of the Missouri Bar." The civil instructions are also available on Westlaw Minnesota civil and criminal instructions are available on Westlaw. Montana criminal instructions are posted on the Criminal Jury Instructions Commission page of the Montana Judicial Branch Web site. The State Bar of Montana sells civil instructions. Nebraska civil and criminal instructions may be accessed on westlaw. Nevada unofficial civil instructions are posted on the Nevada Law Blog and on the Clark County Library Web site. New Hampshire civil instructions are available on LexisNexis. Draft criminal instructions are freely available on the New Hampshire Bar Association Web page. New Jersey civil and criminal instructions are freely available on the New Jersey Courts site. New Mexico Uniform civil and criminal jury instructions are freely available on the New Mexico Compilation Commission Web site. New York civil instructions are on Westlaw. Criminal instructions are freely available on the New York Courts Web site. North Carolina civil and criminal instructions are freely available on the UNC School of Government Web site. North Dakota civil and criminal instructions apparently require a casemaker login (a link on the page suggesting otherwise does not work). Ohio civil and criminal instructions are on Westlaw and LexisNexis. Oklahoma civil, criminal, and juvenile instructions are freely available on the Oklahoma State Courts Network Web site. Oregon civil and criminal instructions are on Westlaw and LexisNexis. Pennsylvania civil and criminal instructions are on Westlaw and LexisNexis. Rhode Island model civil instructions are on LexisNexis. South Carolina civil and criminal instructions are on westlaw and LexisNexis. South Dakota pattern jury instructions appear to be out of print. Tennessee pattern civil and criminal instructions are on Westlaw and LexisNexis. Texas civil and Criminal Jury Charges are on Westlaw and LexisNexis. Utah civil and criminal Model Jury Instructions are freely available on the Utah Courts Web site. Vermont civil and criminal jury instructions are freely available on the Vermont Bar Association Web site. Virginia civil and criminal Model Jury Instructions are on Westlaw and LexisNexis. Washington pattern civil and criminal jury instructions are freely available on a Web page maintained by Thomson Reuters under contract with the Washington Supreme Court Committee on Jury Instructions. West Virginia "Instructions for Virginia and West Virginia" are on LexisNexis. There is a set of criminal instructions authored by the West Virginia Public Defender Services and posted on the Public Defender Web site. Wisconsin civil, criminal, and "children" jury instructions are authored by the University of Wisconsin Law School, and available on fastcase. Wyoming jury instructions may be purchased from the Wyoming State Bar.

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