State of Mississippi Judiciary

Mississippi Model Jury Instructions Commission

The Supreme Court created the Mississippi Model Jury Instructions Commission in an order entered on Dec. 30, 2008. The commission’s purpose is to examine jury instructions used in state courts and recommend plain language instructions which would offer clearer guidance regarding application of the law for the lay persons who serve on juries.

The Commission is charged to conduct a comprehensive examination of jury instructions now in use and to recommend to the Supreme Court revised, modified and simplified instructions as needed. Emphasis is to be on instructions which give jurors guidance as to the law applicable to the cases before them in clear and concise language understandable to the jurors without legal training. Presiding Justice George C. Carlson Jr. of Batesville is chair of the 22-member commission.

Members

Court of Appeals Judge David M. Ishee, Gulfport Circuit Judge James T. Kitchens Jr., Columbus Circuit Judge Clarence E. Morgan III, Kosciusko Circuit Judge Betty W. Sanders, Greenwood County Court Judge Michael W. McPhail, Hattiesburg professor emeritus Guthrie T. Abbott, Oxford, representing the University of Mississippi School of Law Assistant District Attorney Archibald W. Bullard, Corinth, representing the Mississippi Prosecutors Association attorney Ramel L. Cotton, Jackson, representing the Magnolia Bar Association Mississippi Judicial College Executive Director Cynthia D. Davis, Oxford attorney C. Joy Harkness, Meridian, representing the Mississippi Bar Special Assistant Attorney General John R. Henry attorney James E. Lappan of the Mississippi Office of Capital Defense Counsel, Jackson, representing the Mississippi Public Defenders Association attorney James R. Moore Jr., Ridgeland, representing the Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association Mississippi Judicial College Staff Attorney Carole E. Murphey, Batesville Libby Riley, Meridian, representing the Governor Assistant District Attorney Archibald W. Bullard, Corinth, representing the Mississippi Prosecutors Association attorney Lance L. Stevens, Jackson, representing the Mississippi Association for Justice attorney Forrest W. Stringfellow, Jackson, representing the Mississippi College School of Law attorney R. Keith Foreman, Ridgeland, representing the Lieutenant Governor attorney Forrest W. Stringfellow, Jackson, representing the Mississippi College School of Law businessman Jimmy Murphy, Booneville, representing the Speaker of the House attorney Merrida P. Coxwell Jr., Jackson attorney Philip W. Gaines, Jackson attorney James D. Holland, Jackson