Vermont Model Criminal Jury Instructions

July 12, 2024: The Committee has added a citation to State v. Phillips, 2024 VT 10, ¶ 16 in the reporter’s notes here, here, and here.

July 8, 2024: The Committee has added a citation to State v. Taylor, 2023 VT 60, ¶¶ 9–19 to the reporter’s note for diminished capacity and intoxication.

June 10, 2024: The Committee has revised the instruction and reporter’s note for the insanity defense to better track the statutory language.

June 10, 2024: The Committee has added a new instruction and reporter’s note for the crime of domestic terrorism, 13 V.S.A. § 3521, available here.

February 12, 2024: Please note that the Committee maintains an archive of old, outdated model instructions, but that this archive is not available on the website. If you need an old version of a model instruction, please email the Committee reporter.

December 6, 2023: The Committee has revised the hate crime model instruction to reflect a 2021 statutory amendment. See 2021, No. 34, § 1 (eff. May 18, 2021).

October 23, 2023: The Committee has added a new instruction for the crime of excessive speed. The instruction can be accessed via the Title 23 drop-down menu.

September 25, 2023: The Committee has updated the reporter’s note for evidence of flight to include a citation to State v. Murphy, 2023 VT 8, ¶¶ 20–26.

September 25, 2023: The Committee has revised the burglary reporter’s note to cite two additional cases: State v. Jones, 2011 VT 90, ¶ 13, 190 Vt. 586 and State v. Lampman, 2017 VT 114, ¶ 15, 206 Vt. 323.

May 24, 2023: The Committee has modified the instructions for several Title 23 motor vehicle crimes to reflect the current statutory definition of “motor vehicle.” See 23 V.S.A. §§ 4(21), 1200(6); see also 2001, No. 91 (Adj. Sess.), § 3; 2001, No. 139 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; 2003, No. 66, § 217b; 2021, No. 40, § 2.