TITLE: Relating to a trial court's instructions to a jury.

SUMMARY: Relating to a trial court's instructions to a jury.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to a trial court's instructions to a jury. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Chapter 23, Government Code, is amended by adding Subchapter Dto read as follows: SUBCHAPTER D. JURY CHARGE Sec. 23.251. REQUIRED JURY INSTRUCTIONS. The judge of a trial court in the judge's charge to a jury shall instruct the members of the jury of their duty to: (1) judge the law to determine whether the law is unjust or unjustly applied to a party in a case; (2) determine the validity of the evidence; and (3) vote on the jury verdict according to the members' consciences. SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to a jury empaneled on or after the effective date of this Act. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.