Case Title: Standard Jury Instructions Civil Cases

Citation: 

Docket Number: SC00-1805

State: florida

Court: Florida Supreme Court

Date: 2001-03-08T00:00:00Z

Document:
Supreme Court of Florida
 
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No. SC00-1805
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STANDARD JURY INSTRUCTIONS-
CIVIL CASES (NO. 00-1)
[March 8, 2001]
PER CURIAM.
The Committee on Standard Jury Instructions (Civil) petitions this Court to
amend the Standard Jury Instructions in Civil Cases.  We have jurisdiction.  Art. V,
§ 2(a), Fla. Const.; Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.985. 
The Committee published its proposed amendments for comment in The
Florida Bar News.  One comment was received regarding proposed instruction 1.0,
"Preliminary Voir Dire Instruction," and three comments were received regarding
proposed new instruction 7.4, "Instruction upon Discharge of Jury."  Proposed
instruction 7.4 was republished with additional language and minor
stylistic changes.  After republication, no further comments were
received.  
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Upon consideration, we hereby authorize for publication and use the
proposed amendments as set forth in the appendix attached to this opinion.  We
highlight instruction 1.0, "Preliminary Voir Dire Instruction," which contains
new language informing jurors that if they violate their oath to
answer all voir dire questions truthfully, they may be subject to civil
or criminal penalties.  This amendment emphasizes to jurors that candor during
voir dire questioning is not only critical to the integrity of the judicial system, but
also mandatory under the law.
In authorizing publication, we caution all interested persons that the notes and
comments reflect only the opinion of the committee and are not necessarily
indicative of the views of this Court as to their correctness or applicability. We
express no opinion on the correctness of these instructions and remind all
interested parties that this authorization forecloses neither requesting additional or
alternative instructions nor contesting the legal correctness of these instructions.
The amendments shall be effective when this opinion becomes final.  New language
is indicated by underlining and deletions are indicated by struck- through type. We
wish to express our appreciation to the committee for its dedication in presenting to
the Court its recommendations.
It is so ordered.
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WELLS, C.J., and SHAW, HARDING, ANSTEAD, PARIENTE, LEWIS and
QUINCE, JJ., concur.
NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO FILE REHEARING MOTION, AND
IF FILED, DETERMINED.
Original Proceeding - Standard Jury Instructions (Civil Cases)
Honorable Peter D. Webster, Chair, Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury
Instructions (Civil), Tallahassee, Florida,
for Petitioner
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APPENDIX
1.0
PRELIMINARY VOIR DIRE INSTRUCTION
The attorneys and I will be asking you questions to help us decide which of you
will serve as jurors in this case.  The questions are asked to determine if your decision
in this case might be influenced by some personal experience or special knowledge
that you have concerning the subject of this trial, the parties, witnesses, or attorneys
or by opinions that you now hold.  It is not unusual for people to have strong feelings
about certain subjects or to identify with or feel some partiality toward one side or the
other.  However, it would be a violation of your oath as prospective jurors to fail to
answer truthfully and as completely as possible our questions about such matters.
Please understand that these questions are not meant to embarrass you or to pry
into your personal affairs.  They are intended to obtain a fair and impartial jury to try
this case.  It is your duty to answer completely and truthfully all of the questions that
will be asked of you.  Any failure to answer truthfully and completely may require this
case to end in a mistrial or to be tried again.
(At the beginning of voir dire, the court should tell prospective jurors about
the nature of the case and the date and place of the occurrence.  The parties and
their attorneys should be introduced.  Potential witnesses may be named.  The court
may wish to give jurors additional information about the trial or court procedures.)
The attorneys and I will now ask you questions to help us select jurors for this
case. We want to know if some personal experience or special knowledge might
influence your decision.  We also want to know if your personal opinions might affect
your decision.  Please understand that these questions are not meant to embarrass you
or to pry into your personal affairs.  People often have strong feelings that they may
be reluctant to disclose, but you have sworn in this case to answer all questions
truthfully and completely and you must do so.  If you do not understand a question,
raise your hand or ask for an explanation.  Remaining silent when you have information
to disclose is as much a violation of your oath as making a false statement.  A violation
of your oath to tell the whole truth would be very serious and could result in civil and
criminal penalties against you.
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1.1
PRELIMINARY INSTRUCTION
Responsibility of jury and judge.
You have now been sworn as the jury to try this case.  This is a civil case
involving a disputed claim or claims between the parties.  Those claims and other
matters will be explained to you later.  By your verdict[s], you will decide the disputed
issues of fact.  I will decide the questions of law that arise during the trial, and before
you retire to deliberate at the close of the trial, I will instruct you on the law that you
are to follow and apply in reaching your verdict[s].  In other words, it is your
responsibility to determine the facts and to apply the law to those facts.  Thus, the
function of the jury and the function of the judge are well defined, and they do not
overlap.  This is one of the fundamental principles of our system of justice.
Reaching a verdict is exclusively your job.  I cannot participate in that decision
in any way.  You should not speculate about how I might evaluate the testimony of any
witness or any other evidence in this case, and you should not think that I prefer one
verdict over another.  Therefore, in reaching your verdict, you should not consider
anything that I say or do, except for my specific instructions to you.
Steps in trial.
Before proceeding further, it will be helpful for you to understand how a trial is
conducted.  In a few moments, the attorneys for the parties will have an opportunity
to make opening statements, in which they may explain to you the issues in the case
and summarize the facts that they expect the evidence will show.  Following the
opening statements, witnesses will be called to testify under oath.  They will be
examined and cross-examined by the attorneys.  Documents and other exhibits also
may be received as evidence.
After all the evidence has been received, the attorneys will again have an
opportunity to address you and to make their final arguments.  The statements that the
attorneys now make and the arguments that they later make are not to be considered
by you either as evidence in the case or as your instruction on the law.  Nevertheless,
these statements and arguments are intended to help you properly understand the
issues, the evidence, and the applicable law, so you should give them your close
attention.
Following the final arguments by the attorneys, I will instruct you on the law.
Bifurcated proceedings.
[The presentation of evidence and your deliberations may occur in two stages.
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The second stage, if necessary, will occur immediately after the first stage.]*
*Refer to [Note 3 of] Notes on Use of 1.1
Things to be avoided.
You should give careful attention to the testimony and other evidence as it is
received and presented for your consideration, but you should not form or express
any opinion about the case until you have received all the evidence, the arguments of
the attorneys and the instructions on the law from me.  In other words, you should not
form or express any opinion about the case until you are retired to the jury room to
consider your verdict[s], after having heard all of these matters.
The case must be tried or heard by you only on the evidence presented during
the trial in your presence, and in the presence of the attorneys and myself.  You must
not conduct any investigation of your own.  Accordingly, you must not visit any of
the places described in the evidence, or the scene of the occurrence that is the subject
of the trial, unless I direct you to view the scene.  Also, you must avoid reading
newspaper headlines and articles relating to this case and trial.  You must also avoid
seeing or hearing television and radio comments or accounts of this trial while it is in
progress.
Objections.
The attorneys are trained in the rules of evidence and trial procedure, and it is
their duty to make all objections they feel are proper.  When a lawyer makes an
objection, I will either overrule or sustain the objection.  If I overrule an objection to
a question, the witness will answer the question.  When I sustain, or uphold, an
objection, the witness cannot answer the question.  If I sustain an objection, you must
not speculate on what might have happened, or what the witness might have said, had
I permitted the witness to answer.  You should not draw any inference from the
question itself.
The judge's conferences with attorneys.
During the trial, it may be necessary for me to confer with the attorneys out of
your hearing, talking about matters of law and other matters that require consideration
by me alone.  It is impossible for me to predict when such a conference may be
required or how long it will last.  When such conferences occur, they will be
conducted so as to consume as little of your time as necessary for a fair and orderly
trial of the case.
Recesses.
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During the trial we will take recesses.  During these recesses you shall not
discuss the case among yourselves or with anyone else, nor permit anyone to say
anything to you or in your presence about the case.  Further, you must not talk with
the attorneys, the witnesses, or any of the parties about anything, until your
deliberations are finished.  In this way, any appearance of something improper can be
avoided.
If during a recess you see one of the attorneys and he or she does not speak to
you, or even seem to pay attention to you, please understand that the attorney is not
being discourteous but is only avoiding the appearance of some improper contact with
you.  If anyone tries to say something to you or in your presence about this case, tell
that person that you are on the jury trying this case, and ask that person to stop.  If he
or she keeps on, leave at once and immediately report this to the bailiff or court
deputy, who will advise me.
(Explain to the jury the anticipated schedule of recesses and adjournments.
The court at this point may, if appropriate, introduce the various court officials such
as the clerk, bailiff or court deputy, and court reporter, explaining their duties.)
[After all the evidence has been presented, I will give you complete instructions
regarding the law governing your deliberations.  At this time, however, I will explain
some principles of law to assist you in considering the evidence.]*
*Refer to Note 4 of Notes on Use
At this time, the attorneys for the parties will have an opportunity to make their
opening statements, in which they may explain to you the issues in the case and give
you a summary of the facts they expect the evidence will show.
Notes on use of 1.1