Jury instructions simplified

For those lawyers practicing in the Eighth Circuit of the United States, drafting jury instructions just got easier. Using the new “Jury Instructions Builder,” created by the Jury Instruction Committee for the Eighth Circuit, lawyers simply select the pattern instructions applicable to their cases from a dropdown menu and the builder generates a packet of instructions. These instructions are downloadable straight to a Word document, where lawyers can revise the instructions to suit the needs of their cases. The document automatically includes a table of contents and lawyers may choose whether or not to include the Committee Comments and Notes on Use. The builder does not require a log-in, is available on the Eighth Circuit's website, and is available on the websites for several of the district courts in the Eighth Circuit.

The biggest limitation of the builder is that it only includes the Eighth Circuit’s pattern instructions, which are not as expansive in scope as some other circuits. For instance, there are no pattern instructions specific to intellectual property cases. But, there are “Preliminary Instructions For Use At Commencement Of Trial,” “Instructions For Use During Trial,” and “Instructions For Use At Close Of Trial,” that will apply to some extent in every civil case. The builder is not a one-stop shop for most cases, but it will still save lawyers’ time and clients’ money, so it is great to see the Jury Instruction Committee taking the time to develop it.