Opinion ID: 2228239
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: standard of review

Text: A trial court, whether requested to do so or not, has a duty to instruct the jury on issues presented by the pleadings and the evidence. Wheeler v. Bagley, 254 Neb. 232, 575 N.W.2d 616 (1998). All the jury instructions must be read together, and if, taken as a whole, they correctly state the law, are not misleading, and adequately cover issues supported by the pleadings and the evidence, there is no prejudicial error necessitating reversal. Tapp v. Blackmore Ranch, 254 Neb. 40, 575 N.W.2d 341 (1998). Furthermore, in an appeal based on a claim of an erroneous jury instruction, the appellant has the burden to show that the questioned instruction was prejudicial or otherwise adversely affected a substantial right of the appellant. Id. A motion for new trial is addressed to the discretion of the trial court, whose decision will be upheld in the absence of an abuse of that discretion. Wheeler v. Bagley, supra .