Finding & Using Ohio Jury Instructions

Jury instructions are used, of course to instruct a jury. But they can be helpful earlier on in the litigation process to help better understand a claim and its related elements. For example, the criminal jury instruction for “failure to confine a dog” references the burden of proof and the dog being “physically confined or restrained upon the premises of the owner” and “under reasonable control of some person.” An annotated jury instruction, like what you’ll find in Lexis or Westlaw, includes references to applicable ORC provisions, caselaw, and other related jury instructions. It can be helpful to “work backwards” from a jury instruction as you start researching trial materials.

Finding Ohio jury instructions is not hard – you’ll find complete collections on Lexis and Westlaw, for both civil and criminal. The 6^th Circuit’s website collects pattern jury instructions. OSBA members receive access to Decisis, a legal research platform, with the cost of membership (law students get free OSBA membership). Decisis is another source for Ohio jury instructions.

Find out more about jury instructions, jury verdicts, voir dire, and more on our litigation research guide.