In January 2014, ICLE dedicated the Michigan Criminal Jury Instructions, use notes, and histories to the public domain. The Michigan Supreme Court mandated the use of model criminal jury instructions in criminal trials effective March 1, 2014. MCR 2.512. The Committee on Model Criminal Jury Instructions endorsed and affirmed the instructions dedicated by ICLE to the public domain as an accurate statement of the law and description of legal procedures and duties. The instructions, use notes, and histories are available on the supreme court’s website (http://courts.mi.gov/courts/michigansupremecourt). The court also added a reference guide with citations to statutes, court rules, and caselaw to many of the instructions.

Expanded ICLE Commentary
ICLE retains its copyright in its extensive commentary instructions and remains the sole source for that commentary. ICLE now publishes the model criminal jury instructions, use notes, histories, reference guide, and ICLE Commentary in print and online in Michigan Model Criminal Jury Instrucitons with ICLE Commentary. In addition, the ICLE Commentary for the most commonly charged offenses has been expanded to include the following: elements, penalities, collateral consequences, lesser included offenses, commonly used defenses, and special considerations. Any reproduction or republication of the ICLE Commentary requires reprint permission from ICLE. Contact ICLE at icle@icle.org

Additional Features of the Online Michigan Model Criminal Jury Instructions with ICLE Commentary
Prior Versions of Instructions Available. If you are handling an appeal or considering challenging a prior conviction after an instruction has been amended, you can easily get the prior version of the instruction by clicking on the link in the history section. Prior versions are available back to 2002.

Always Current and Searchable. The online version is fully searchable. The instructions are updated as changes are adopted by the official committee. Citations link to Michigan statutes, court rules, and caselaw.

Download Selected Instructions. Users can pick from a master list and download selected instructions into a single computer file.

ICLE’s online Michigan Model Criminal Jury Instructions with ICLE Commentary is included in the Premium Partnership or may be purchased separately. Also available from ICLE is the 1,668-page, 2-volume print version, updated annually. Use the only print version of the instructions in court or to identify the elements of a crime and primary authority.