Advocacy & Alternative Dispute Resolution: Jury Instructions

Many states (including Illinois) and federal circuits have their own pattern jury instructions. It is necessary to consult pattern instructions first. Model jury instructions needed to complement pattern instructions may be found in encyclopedic sets of instructions, in titles on individual subjects, and in litigation practice treatises. What follow are many of the most-often consulted titles in our library for federal jury instructions and Illinois jury instructions.

The library has civil and/or criminal jury instructions for the First, Third, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Circuits. Depending upon the circuit, the instructions are referred to as either pattern or model instructions. These instructions can be found on reserve in the library.

• Westlaw provides online access to civil jury instructions for the Third, Fifth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, and Eleventh Circuits as well as criminal jury instructions for the First, Third, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Circuits.  

• Lexis Nexis provides access to the same circuit jury instructions as Westlaw. See Modern Federal Jury Instructions-Civil and Modern Federal Jury Instructions-Criminal.

• Court websites also often provide pattern jury instructions.

Federal Jury Practice and Instructions. KF8984 .D496 2006 - 10th Floor. One of the two comprehensive sets of federal instructions consists of five volumes that address both civil and criminal matters.  

Modern Federal Jury Instructions. KF9682.A65 M64 1984 - 10th Floor. This set of instructions encompasses both pattern and non-pattern guidelines for federal circuits.  

Jury Instructions in Automobile Actions.  

Jury Instructions in Commercial Litigation.

Jury Instructions on Damages in Tort Actions. KF8984.D68 2003 - 10th Floor.  

Jury Instructions in Intellectual Property Cases. KF8984.A65 B87 - 10th Floor.

Jury Instructions on Medical Issues. KF8984.A65 AL26x 2004 - 10th Floor.

Model Jury Instructions: Business Torts Litigation. KF8984.A65 M64 2005 - 10th Floor.

Model Jury Instructions: Copyright, Trademark, and Trade Dress Litigation. KF8984.M63 2008 - 10th Floor.

Model Jury Instructions: Employment Litigation. KF8984.A65 E57 2005 - 10th Floor.

Model Jury Instructions: Construction Litigation.

Model Jury Instructions: Patent Litigation. KF3155.M63 2023 - 10th Floor.

Model Patent Jury Instructions.

Model Jury Instructions: Securities Litigation. KF8984.S42 1996 - 10th Floor.

Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions: IPI Civil. KFI 1742.A87 IL6 - 6th Floor (Reserve) & 9th Floor.

Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions: IPI Criminal. KFI 1783.A65 IL6 2000 - 6th Floor (Reserve).

Illinois Forms of Jury Instruction. KFI 1742.6.I44 - 6th Floor (Reserve). The volume set encompasses both pattern and non-pattern civil jury instructions, covering civil actions, torts, contracts, and statutory actions.  

Illinois Non-Pattern Jury Instructions. KFI 1742.6.R69 - 6th Floor (Reserve). This two-volume set provides IPI instructions with annotations and non-pattern instructions for those subjects not covered by IPI.  Includes both civil and criminal instructions.