Vermont Model Criminal Jury Instructions

February 13, 2026: The Committee has revised the instructions for DUI (under influence of drugs or combination) to conform with the statutory language.

February 13, 2026: The Committee updated the reporter’s note for the insanity defense to include a citation to State v. Gurung, 2025 VT 52, ¶¶ 46–62.

February 13, 2026: The Committee has explained in the reporter’s note for the “Defendant Not Testifying at Trial” instruction that it has declined a specific request to revise that instruction at this time, pending further guidance from the Supreme Court and/or legislature.

November 19, 2025: The Committee has updated the sexual assault reporter’s note to add references to State v. Orost, 2025 VT 15, ¶¶ 39–44, 48.

August 26, 2025: The Committee has revised the reporter’s note for unlawful mischief to incorporate references to State v. Lyddy, 2025 VT 1 and State v. Wells, 2025 VT 5.

August 1, 2025: The Committee has revised the model instructions for illegally taking a deer and shooting at a wild animal from a public highway to more accurately track the statutory language.

August 1, 2025: The Committee has added a new model instruction and reporter’s note for the crime of Carrying a Weapon While Committing a Felony, 13 V.S.A. § 4005.

April 8, 2025. The Committee has revised and renumbered the model instructions for First Degree Aggravated Domestic Assault (used deadly weapon and threatened to use deadly weapon), and added a new instruction for attempt to use a deadly weapon. Those instructions, as well as a revised reporter’s note, can be found here.

April 1, 2025: The Committee has made numerous changes to the drug crime model instructions. These changes incorporate new statutory language and reference State v. Rillo, 2020 VT 82, ¶ 12, 213 Vt. 193. Additionally, the Committee has added new model instructions for selling or dispensing fentanyl, selling or dispensing xylazine, and selling a regulated drug with death resulting.

January 9, 2025: The Committee has revised the preexisting DLS instruction, added a new instruction for 23 V.S.A. § 674(b), and revised the reporter’s note. The revisions better track the statutory language. The DLS instructions and reporter’s notes are available here.