Jury instructions are the formal statements a judge gives the jury, usually before deliberations begin, explaining the legal standards that govern the case, the elements of each claim or defense, the burden of proof, and how to evaluate the evidence. They are the bridge between the facts the jury heard and the verdict the law requires them to reach based on those facts.

Both parties typically propose instructions, and disputes over the precise wording or which instructions should be given at all are resolved by the judge, often after extensive argument, because an instruction that misstates the law or omits a required element can be reversible error on appeal. Standard pattern instructions exist for common claims in many jurisdictions, but case-specific instructions are frequently needed and heavily contested.

Juricratic models the elements of each claim explicitly in a matter's claim structure, mirroring the same element-by-element framework a jury instruction ultimately walks a jury through, so a simulated case's element-satisfaction dial connects directly to the legal standard a real jury would be asked to apply.

Litigators draft proposed jury instructions early, often starting from jurisdiction-specific pattern instructions, and litigate contested language during the charge conference, since the exact wording of an instruction can determine how a jury frames its entire deliberation. A poorly framed or erroneous instruction is also a common and often successful basis for appeal.