Jury Instructions 101

In personal injury cases, it is important that you are familiar with the Jury Instructions that will be used to determine the outcome of a particular trial. What are jury instructions? Jury instructions are the guidelines given to a jury that outline the law and explain what factors are required for them to deliberate. A lawyer with a strong understanding of the jury instructions can and must use this knowledge to their advantage.

Once it is known which claims you will be bringing against the defendant, it is then possible to familiarize yourself with which set of jury instructions the judge will likely hand to the jury. Once those are known, every action that you will take in your case can be taken framed around the language and requirements of the instructions. The language used in your initial lawsuit can echo the terminology of the instructions, and the documents that you seek during discovery can be chosen with the jury instructions' requirements in mind, and so on; for example, if the jury instructions require that the defendant have knowledge of a particular defect in their premises, you can request an image of the defect in question existing in an evident nature. Additionally, the language used in questions asked during depositions and of witnesses at trial should track the instructions, illuminating how the facts of your case align with the elements in their instructions for the jury.

Having an attorney that can capitalize on the knowledge of what is contained in each cause of action's jury instructions can go a long way towards making a strong case to a jury. For help navigating the complex world of personal injury claims, contact KI Legal Personal Injury so you can sit down for a free consultation with our team of experienced attorneys. Call (212) 404-8605 or email michael@kilegal.com today.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.