INTRODUCTION
1-3
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION TO
JURY INSTRUCTION LAW
I. L AW
A. Governing Statutes
§1:10 General Statutes: Code of Criminal Procedure
B. General Rules
§1:20 General Framework of the Charge
§1:30 Nonindictment Theories — Enlarging Pleadings
§1:40 Instructions Restricted to the Evidence
§1:50 Sufficiency of the Instructions
§1:55 Hypothetically Correct Jury Charge
§1:60 Definitions of the law
§1:70 Application Paragraph
§1:80 Culpable Mental States
§1:90 Assuming Facts in the Charge
§1:100 Defensive Issues
§1:110 Alternative Causes
§1:120 Joint Defendants and Separate Defenses
§1:130 Penal Code Objectives
§1:140 Commenting on Testimony/Weight of the Evidence
§1:150 Conjunctive Allegations and Disjunctive Submission
§1:155 Jury Unanimity
§1:160 Effective Dates of Criminal Statutes
§1:170 Instructions Not Submitted
§1:180 Sequence of Offenses
§1:185 Result and Conduct-Oriented Offenses
§1:190 Conditions of Probation
§1:200 Supplemental Jury Instructions
§1:210 Limiting Instructions — Extraneous Offenses
§1:220 Jury Note Taking
§1:230 Fifth Amendment Concerns at Guilt-Innocence
§1:240 Fifth Amendment Concerns at Punishment
C. Burden Of Proof
§1:250 General Jury Instruction: Reasonable Doubt, Presumption of Innocence
§1:260 Conclusive Irrebuttable Presumptions
§1:270 Mandatory Rebuttable Presumptions
§1:280 Burden of Proving Defenses as Opposed to Elements of an Offense
§1:285 Defenses — Generally
§1:290 Affirmative Defenses: Standard of Review
INTRODUCTION
Texas Criminal Jury Charges 1-4
D. Error in the Jury Charge
§1:300 Harmless Error and the Almanza Doctrine
§1:310 Generally
§1:320 Ordinary Error
§1:330 Fundamental Error
§1:340 Almanza Analysis
§1:350 Almanza Rule Applied
II. OBJECTIONS TO COURT’S CHARGE
§1:360 Governing Statutes
§1:370 Procedure
§1:375 Attaching a Verdict Form to the Jury Charge
§1:380 Failure to Object to a Lesser Offense Instruction
and Challenging the Sufficiency of the Evidence on Appeal
§1:385 Court Not Required to Sua Sponte Charge on Lesser-Included Offense
§1:390 Failure to Preserve Error
§1:400 State Must Object
§1:410 Proposed Instructions and Misstatements of law
III. FORMS
§1:415 Plain Language General Instruction: Opening
§1:418 Plain Language General Instruction: Closing
§1:420 Practice Note
§1:430 General Instruction: Failure to Testify
§1:440 General Instruction: Indictment/Information No Evidence of Guilt
§1:450 General Instruction: Presumption of Innocence and Burden of Proof
§1:460 General Instruction: Closing of Guilt-Innocence Phase
§1:465 Limiting Instruction — Result-Oriented Mental States
§1:470 Limiting Instruction — Extraneous Offenses
§1:475 Limiting Instruction — Hearsay
§1:480 Defendant’s Requested Special Charge Form (CCP 36.15)
§1:485 Defendant’s Requested Special Charge — Necessity
§1:490 Rules for Jurors: No Talking, Texting, Tweeting
§1:495 Plain Language General Verdict Form with Lesser
(Example of Intoxication Assault with Lesser of DWI)
