What are Jury Instructions?

Jury instructions tell the jury what the laws are that govern a particular case. Each attorney gives the judge a set of proposed jury instructions. The judge considers each instruction and gives the one that properly states the law that applies to the case. The jurors must accept and follow the law as instructed by the judge, even though they may have a different idea about what the law is or ought to be.

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1. Can I talk to anyone about the trial while it is going on?
2. Can I watch news reports of the trial or read newspaper accounts of it?
3. How are criminal cases tried?
4. What if I accidentally hear something about the trial outside the courtroom, or if someone contacts me about the trial while it is still going on?
5. What if I need a break during the trial?
6. What are Jury Instructions?
7. What are my responsibilities now that I'm part of a jury?
8. What are the two types of criminal cases?
9. What happens during a civil trial?
10. What is a "question of fact"?
11. What is a "question of law"?
12. What should I do when testimony is stricken from the record?
13. Who awards damages in a civil case?
14. Who else will be in the courtroom? What will they be doing?
15. Who sets the punishment in a criminal case?
16. Why do the attorneys object to certain statements or evidence?
17. Why is the jury sometimes asked to leave the courtroom in the middle of a trial?