Find jury instructions using these databases. Access is restricted and requires a username and password.
Bloomberg Law - Choose Litigation dropdown tab → Litigation Resources → Scroll to down and use the "Find Jury Instructions" search box
Lexis - Choose the "Content" tab of the "Explore" menu → Jury Instructions
Westlaw - Choose the "Content types" tab → Secondary Sources → Jury Instructions
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This Research Guide provides information about jury instructions and tips for finding model jury instructions available at Marquette University Eckstein Law Library, on free websites and through subscription databases. Neither this guide nor the resources mentioned are meant to be an exhaustive bibliography about jury instructions. Rather, the contents of this research guide are intended to aid the researcher in locating jury instructions and other resources about instructions.
This Getting Started page is a quick-reference guide to finding forms and jury instructions. See the headings tabbed at the top of this guide for more specific information on Federal, Wisconsin, Seventh Circuit, States and Subject-Specific jury instructions as well as Current issues related to jury instructions.
GETTING STARTED
To properly focus your research, identify the jurisdiction for the instructions needed:
Federal - United States Circuit Courts of Appeals or United States District Courts
State - Individual state's court(s)
Locating Books and Treatises at Marquette University Eckstein Law Library
Search the Marqcat online catalog for the title, if known, or try a keyword or subject search for "jury instructions". Forms, deskbooks and practice guides may provide the information needed. For example, a subject search for "jury instructions - united states" would help find federal materials.
Subject-area Instructions
Determine if subject-specific, or topical, instructions are available for your area of interest:
Check the Marqcat catalog for Law Library holdings. The American Bar Association, for example, publishes several titles that provide discussion and sample jury instructions for a specific topic or area of law such as real estate.
Online
Some subject-specific instructions may be found online by searching Google or another search engine.
Locating Online Instructions
FREE WEBSITES provide links to jury instructions:
Court websites may include model or pattern instructions. Search for a specific jurisdiction using a search engine such as Google.
Compilations provide lists of websites with jury instructions, usually with links to the instructions. Here are a few links to such compilations:
COMMERCIAL DATABASES are available by subscription and may provide model jury instructions. The suggested research paths listed below for Bloomberg, Lexis and Westlaw will take the researcher to lists of jury instructions provided in each database. This is just one method for locating instructions. Other search strategies may be performed to locate instructions. These databases may also be searched for actual court documents/jury instructions filed in a specific case. Access is restricted to Marquette University Law School students and faculty and require individual passwords and usernames. See a list of Subscription Databases at Marquette University Eckstein Law LIbrary along with brief descriptions of the database and access restrictions.
Locating Articles Using a Periodicals Index
To locate relevant law review or law journal articles about jury instructions use an indexing service that offers references to many journals.
Digital
Searching online for law journal articles can be more efficient than searching print indexes. For some databases, access may be restricted to Law School students and faculty and may require individual passwords and usernames. See a list of Subscription Databases at Marquette University Eckstein Law Library along with brief descriptions of the database and access restrictions.
Modifying Model Jury Instructions
Model jury instructions often need to be modified according to the facts for a specific case. For examples of modified jury instructions, check:
