What Is a Jury Instruction Error?
If you’ve been convicted of a criminal offense in Texas, whether in state or federal court, you may feel that the issue has been resolved and that you have no choice but to accept whatever penalties the court imposes. The truth is that the trial court doesn’t always get it right. If the judge gave erroneous jury instructions, you may not have received a fair trial.
All criminal defendants have the right to a fair trial in which the judge provides correct and complete jury instructions without bias or misinterpretation. Don’t let an unfair trial turn your life upside down without justification — reach out today to Broden & Mickelsen, LLP.
We are a Dallas, Texas, criminal defense law firm with an extensive record of success in state and federal court. The federal conviction rate is 97.1 percent in the Northern District of Texas — but only 50 percent in cases tried by Mick Mickelsen and 42.8 percent in cases tried by Clint Broden. Our success rate is four to five times better than the state or national average. We are board-certified specialists in criminal defense and criminal appeals.
If you’ve been charged with a crime in Texas and want to beat the government, contact Broden & Mickelsen, LLP, immediately.
What Are Jury Instructions?
Jury instructions are a set of directions a judge gives after the criminal defense lawyers have presented all the evidence. Jury instructions cover topics such as the following:
- Relevant legal issues
- Questions of evidence
- The duties of the jury
- Cautionary statements against bias or outside influence
For instance, in the U.S. District Court for Dallas, Texas, the judge instructs jurors not to discuss the case with anyone who is not on the jury, not to research the case on social media, and not to read about it in the newspaper.
Jury instructions tell the jury how to apply the law and issue an impartial verdict in the case. That’s why it’s so important that jury instructions contain no errors.
What Is a Jury Instruction Error?
A jury instruction error is when a judge gives a jury incorrect or confusing instructions, causing the jury to misinterpret the law.
Jury instruction errors can occur when a judge misinterprets how to apply the law to a particular case, uses unclear phrasing, leaves out important elements of the law when giving jury instructions, or presents the jury with biased instructions.
With any type of jury instruction error, the danger is that the jury may convict someone it would not otherwise have convicted. To prevent this, an appeals court can reverse a jury’s decision in case of instruction errors.
What Types of Jury Instruction Errors Can Be Grounds for a Criminal Appeal?
Under Texas law, a jury instruction error can be grounds for an appeal if it was intended to violate the defendant’s rights or it prevented the defendant from having a “fair and impartial” trial.
Grounds for a Criminal Appeal
To win reversal on appeal:
- The defendant’s lawyer must have objected to whatever element of the jury instruction they want to appeal.
- The jury instruction error must have harmed the defendant’s rights.
- If the lawyer did not object properly, the appellate court will only reverse a judgment in cases involving egregious harm to the defendant’s rights.
If a defendant believes that the jury instructions are in error, they have the right to ask the court for requested instructions to inform the court of their opinion.
Typical Jury Instruction Errors
The following are some of the more common jury instruction errors:
- Misstatement of law
- Failing to provide a jury instruction on an essential element of the crime
- Incomplete jury instruction
- Biased instructions
Misstatement of law occurs when a judge incorrectly describes the relevant law to the jury. Jury instructions are the court’s way of telling the jury how to do its job. If a judge describes or interprets the law incorrectly, the jurors won’t have the legal knowledge to understand the error, and they will render a verdict based on a misinterpretation of the law.
Texas law specifically requires that jury instructions set out all essential elements of the crime with which the defendant is charged. If a judge fails to provide jury instructions on an essential element of the crime, the jury may believe that the prosecutors have proved their case when, in fact, they have not.
For example, a felony murder charge in Texas requires the person guilty of felony murder to have unintentionally killed a person while doing something “clearly dangerous to human life.” If the judge failed to explain that the defendant had to be doing something that was clearly dangerous, then a jury might incorrectly conclude that the accidental death alone was sufficient for a felony murder conviction.
Jury instructions must also explain all the laws relevant to the charge. If the judge fails to thoroughly explain any law the jury needs to understand in order to give a valid judgment, an appellate court may overturn the conviction.
If a judge explains the law and how to apply it in a way that is biased against the defendant, the jury may convict the defendant unfairly. It’s essential to the process of justice that any criminal trial be fair and impartial, so biased jury instructions are also grounds for an appeal.
Contact Our Experienced Appellate Attorneys to Find Out If Jury Instruction Errors Affected Your Case
If you’ve been convicted of a crime in state or federal court in Texas, you need an appellate attorney with deep knowledge of the law and a track record of success in appellate court. Broden & Mickelsen, LLP, are certified as specialists in criminal law and criminal appellate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Together, we have more than 60 years of combined criminal defense experience.
Our law firm provides comprehensive representation in both federal and state cases at the trial and appellate levels, and we have achieved extensive success for our clients in post-conviction relief. If you are facing criminal charges in Dallas, Texas, contact Broden & Mickelsen, LLP, today.