Tennessee Jury Instruction Note-takingin— - For Inclusion in Final Charge When Note-Taking Permitted In Tennessee, note-taking during a trial is not allowed as a general practice. The jurors are expected to rely on their memory and attentiveness to the proceedings. However, under certain circumstances and with the court's permission, note-taking may be allowed. This instruction provides guidance on when note-taking is permitted and how it should be incorporated into the final charge. When the court allows jurors to take notes during the trial, they must be reminded of their responsibilities. The instruction emphasizes that the purpose of note-taking is to aid their recollection of the evidence and not to give any undue importance to their notes. Jurors should understand that their notes are not evidence themselves but merely a personal aid. It is important to highlight that note-taking should not distract the jurors from fully participating in the trial. They must maintain attentive listening and observation since the accuracy of their notes may be compromised if they miss important details while writing. The instruction reminds jurors to keep their notes private and not share them with other jurors. To ensure fairness and prevent potential biases, jurors should be instructed not to draw any conclusions solely based on their notes. They should consider the overall evidence presented, including witness testimony, documents, and exhibits. The attention is, therefore, shifted towards the content of the trial rather than the jurors' personal notes. While note-taking is permitted, it is vital for the final charge to provide an inclusive instruction that encompasses the whole jury. This instruction should be formulated with clarity and fairness, leaving no room for individual note-taking preferences. The charge should encourage jurors to discuss the evidence collectively and reach a unanimous decision based on the entire trial record. It is worth noting that there are no distinct types or variations of this particular jury instruction in Tennessee. Rather, it serves as a guideline on how note-taking, when permitted, should be appropriately handled within the final charge. The court takes into account the circumstances of each case and determines whether note-taking should be allowed. As such, this instruction remains consistent in its purpose while being flexible to adapt to different trial situations. Keywords: Tennessee, jury instruction, note-taking, inclusion, final charge, permitted, memory, attentiveness, circumstances, permission, responsibilities, recollection, evidence, aid, distraction, participating, accuracy, compromise, details, private, biases, witness testimony, documents, exhibits, fairness, conclusions, content, preferences, unanimous decision, trial record, variations, guideline, flexibility, adapt, situations.