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Jury instructions tell the jury what the laws are that govern a particular case. Each attorney gives the judge a set of proposed jury instructions. The judge considers each instruction and gives the one that properly states the law that applies to the case.

While California has a moratorium on executions, the death penalty is still on the books, and it remains an option in certain murder cases. In cases where the death penalty could be on the table, the jury plays a pivotal role in determining whether the defendant should face such a severe punishment.

The purpose of instructions are to inform the jury about the legal principles and standards that they must apply in order to reach a verdict. This ensures that criminal trials are fair and lawful. They are typically delivered after closing arguments, but sometimes may be delivered mid-trial if necessary.

Jury instructions are an important component of a trial because they focus the jury on the specific issues and laws applicable to the case being tried.

CALIFORNIA LEGAL DEFENSES: DURESS Duress is a rarely-used defense that applies in situations in which someone commits a crime only because of an immediate threat to life posed by another. The typical example is committing a criminal act only because there is literally “a gun to your head.”

M Crim JI 7.6 Duress (1) The defendant says that he / she is not guilty because someone else's threatening behavior made him / her act as he / she did. This is called the defense of duress. (2) The defendant is not guilty if he / she committed the crime while acting under duress.

A jury instruction is a guideline given by the judge to the jury about the law they will have to apply to the facts they have found to be true. The purpose of the instructions is to help the jury arrive at a verdict that follows the law of that jurisdiction.

When a party has the burden of proving any claim or affirmative defense by a preponderance of the evidence, it means you must be persuaded by the evidence that the claim or affirmative defense is more probably true than not true.

If after considering all of the evidence, including any evidence that another person committed the offense, you have a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the offense, you must find the defendant not guilty. Motive is not an element of the crime charged and need not be proven by the prosecution.