Jury Instructions, Standard Criminal

The Committee met in two Saturday sessions during the current year to review, modify, and adopt standard jury instructions. In December of 2002, the Committee issued its annual supplement published by the Institute for Continuing Legal Education in Ann Arbor. Among significant changes were:

  • New instructions for maintaining a drug house and false report of a felony
  • Revised instructions concerning statement by the defendant, intoxication as a defense, self-defense, domestic assault, home invasion, and others
  • Changes in commentaries and use notes for 19 existing instructions

The Committee continues to strive to write jury instructions that accurately, clearly, and fairly reflect the current state of Michigan's substantive criminal law.