Vermont Model Criminal Jury Instructions

January 12, 2018: The Committee has revised various reporter’s notes to include citations to two recent Vermont Supreme Court decisions, State v. Bean, 2016 VT 73, 202 Vt. 361 and State v. Dow, 2016 VT 91, 202 Vt. 616. Additionally, some changes were made to the Cruelty to a Child instructions and reporter’s note so as to better track the statutory language.

January 11, 2018: The Committee has drafted new instructions and reporter’s notes for the crime of voyeurism, 13 V.S.A. § 2605. The instructions and notes are available here.

November 20, 2017: The Committee has drafted new instructions for the crime of Financial Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult, 13 V.S.A. § 1380. Those instructions are available here.

July 18, 2017: The Committee has posted a new instruction and accompanying reporter’s note for the crime of Possession of Child Pornography, 13 V.S.A. § 2827. The new instruction, CR27-741, is available here.

June 15, 2017: The Committee has added new instructions for appeals from the Judicial Bureau of speeding violations. Those appeals may be heard as a de novo jury trial in the Criminal Division of the Superior Court. The instructions are available here.

June 15, 2017: The Committee has added a new instruction for the crime of Luring a Child, 13 V.S.A. § 2828. The new instruction, CR27-761, is available here.

May 8, 2017: The Committee has updated the instruction and reporter’s note for “Juror Prohibitions, Including Juror Use of Electronic Devices” (CR01-031) to reflect that courts should explicitly instruct the jury not to discuss the case amongst themselves until deliberations begin. See State Cameron, 2016 VT 134, ¶¶ 32–33 nn. 5–8.

April 24, 2017: The Committee has made Reporter’s Note revisions to the following sections to incorporate recent case law:

• Simple Assault (physical menace) – CR22-041
• Aggravated Assault (threatened another with deadly weapon) – CR22-098
• Unanimous Verdict – CR04-081

January 20, 2017: The Committee has posted new instructions for the following crimes related to credit card fraud:

• CR60-301.  Credit Card Fraud ($50 or less), 9 V.S.A. §§ 4043, 4044(a) (01/20/17)
• CR60-306. Credit Card Fraud (more than $50), 9 V.S.A. §§ 4043,  4044(b) (01/20/17)
• CR60-321. Illegal Possession of a Credit Card, 9 V.S.A. § 4045(a) (01/20/17)
• CR28-241. Possession of Payment Card Scanning Devices or Re-encoders, 13 V.S.A. § 1816 (01/20/17)
• CR28-246. Use of Payment Card Scanning Devices, 13 V.S.A. § 1816(a) (01/20/17)
• CR28-249. Use of Payment Card Re-encoders, 13 V.S.A. § 1816(b) (01/20/17)

January 8, 2017: The Committee has added an instruction for the new crime of “Disclosure of Sexually Explicit Images Without Consent.” See 13 V.S.A. § 2606(b)(1). The new instruction, CR27-611, is available here.