§ Rule 51 Instructions to Jury; Objections

Codes > Wyoming Rules of Civil Procedure > VI Trials > Rule 51

Rule 51. Instructions to Jury; Objections

    (a) General instructions. At any time the court may give to the jury such general instructions as to the duties and functions of the court and jury, and the manner of conducting the trial, as it may deem desirable to assist the jury in performing its functions. Such instructions, exclusive of rulings which are recorded by the court reporter for inclusion in any record, shall be reduced to writing, numbered and delivered to the jury with the other instructions and shall be a part of the record in the case.

    (b) Further instructions; objections. At the close of the evidence or at such earlier time during the trial as the court reasonably directs, any party may file written requests that the court instruct the jury on the law as set forth in the requests. The court shall inform counsel of its proposed action upon the requests prior to their arguments to the jury. Before the argument of the case to the jury has begun, the court shall give to the jury such instructions on the law as may be necessary and the same shall be in writing, numbered and signed by the judge, and shall be taken by the jury when it retires. No party may assign as error the giving or the failure to give an instruction unless that party objects thereto before the jury retires to consider its verdict, stating distinctly the matter objected to and the grounds of the objection. Opportunity shall be given to make the objection out of the hearing of the jury.

    (c) Preliminary instructions. Before opening statements, the court shall provide jurors with any general and case-specific instructions that would seem likely to help jurors understand their functions during trial, and the issues that they will be required to decide. These preliminary instructions should include any pertinent case-specific instructions that the court anticipates including in the final instructions, if the court concludes that it would be helpful to jurors to receive the instructions both at the beginning of the case and again before closing arguments. The court shall confer with counsel at the pretrial conference to determine which instructions should be given to jurors before opening statements. For preliminary instructions, the court shall follow the procedures set forth in subsections (a) and (b) with respect to objections and use of written instructions.