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Welcome to the Vermont Model Criminal Jury Instructions. The instructions are sponsored by the Vermont Bar Association.
Use the drop-down menus above or the search function below to find individual instructions and the accompanying reporter's notes.
In addition, clicking on the menu headers above will show a table of contents for that section, and there is also a master table of contents available. Long-time users of the instructions will find the master table of contents to be in the familiar format.
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You may search for an instruction by using the name of the crime (e.g., kidnapping) or by using the statutory citation (e.g., 13 V.S.A. 2405 or, more simply, 2405). Note that the search software is simply reading the text on each page, and thus doesn't recognize "VSA" without the periods.
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Investigation of Jury Taint
March 4, 2021: The Committee has added a reference to State v. Kandzior, 2020 VT 37, ¶ 27 (“the failure to investigate possible jury taint and establish an evidentiary basis for determining if the jury was fair and unbiased amounts … Continue reading
Criminal Threatening
January 11, 2021: The Committee has added a new model instruction and reporter’s note for the crime of criminal threatening, 13 V.S.A. § 1702, available here.
Evidence of Flight
January 8, 2021: The Committee has revised the instruction and reporter’s note for evidence of flight, CR05-501.
Sexual Exploitation of a Minor
January 8, 2021: The Committee has created new instructions and a reporter’s note for the crime of sexual exploitation of a minor, 13 V.S.A. § 3258. The new instructions include both misdemeanor and felony versions.
Aggravated Assault (threatened another with deadly weapon)
December 31, 2020: The Committee has updated the instruction for aggravated assault (threatened another with deadly weapon), CR22-098. That instruction is available here.
Violation of Abuse Prevention Order (VAPO)
December 18, 2020: The Committee recently revised the instruction and reporter’s note for VAPO to reflect a recent statutory amendment that explicitly adds an element of general intent.
Dismissal During Trial of Some Charges Against Single Defendant
October 12, 2020: The Committee added a new reporter’s note to accompany model instruction CR03-061, and also changed the caption for that instruction from “Partial Rule 29 Dismissal” to “Dismissal During Trial of Some Charges Against Single Defendant.”
Permissive Inference of Drug Possession
October 12, 2020: The Committee has added a new instruction: CR40-801, Permissive Inference of Drug Possession (presence in automobile), based on 18 V.S.A. § 4221(b). The accompanying reporter’s note is available here.
Voluntariness of Confession; Invited Error Doctrine
October 8, 2020: The Committee has added a reference to State v. Kolts, 2018 VT 131, ¶¶ 39–41 to the reporter’s note for CR05-351 (Defendant’s Out-of-Court Statements), and a reference to State v. Morse, 2019 VT 58, ¶¶ 6–7 (discussing … Continue reading
Disclosure of Sexually Explicit Images Without Consent
October 2, 2020: The Committee has revised the instruction and reporter’s note for the crime of “Disclosure of Sexually Explicit Images Without Consent” (CR27-611) to reflect the Vermont Supreme Court’s decision in State v. Van Buren, 2018 VT 95, ¶¶ … Continue reading