jury instruction

A jury instruction is a set of guidelines given by the judge to the jury members that explains the relevant laws and how they should apply them to the case they are deciding. These instructions help jurors understand the legal standards they must use to determine guilt or liability, ensuring they base their verdict only on the evidence presented and the law. They serve as a roadmap to fair and consistent decision-making, clarifying complex legal concepts and the specific questions they need to answer to reach a just verdict.