Opinion ID: 1846433
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Final Instructions Before Closing Arguments

Text: As noted, the Jury Innovations Committee recommended that judges be encouraged to give final instructions to the jury before closing arguments. We agree that there are advantages to doing so and that this procedure should be encouraged. [3] However, we conclude that the timing of instructions should ultimately be left to the discretion of the trial judge on a case-by-case basis. Accordingly, we amend Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.470(b) to allow a trial judge to orally instruct the jury either before or after closing arguments and provide appropriate instructions during the trial. If instructions are given prior to final argument, the amended rule directs the trial judge to give final procedural instructions after final arguments and before deliberations. A similar amendment is made to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.390(a). [4]