Legal Definitions - mandatory instruction

Definition: A mandatory instruction is a direction or guideline that a judge gives to a jury about the law of the case. It requires the jury to find for one party and against the other if the jury determines that, based on a preponderance of the evidence, a given set of facts exists. It is also known as a binding instruction.

Examples:

• If the jury finds that the defendant was driving under the influence of alcohol and caused the accident, then they must find him guilty of vehicular manslaughter. This is a mandatory instruction because it requires the jury to find the defendant guilty if they believe the given set of facts.
• If the jury finds that the plaintiff did not prove that the defendant breached their duty of care, then they must find the defendant not liable. This is another example of a mandatory instruction because it requires the jury to find for the defendant if they believe the given set of facts.

These examples illustrate how a mandatory instruction guides the jury's decision-making process by requiring them to find for one party and against the other based on a specific set of facts.