Montana Code Annotated 1999

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Title 25, Chapter 20 -- RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE


     Rule 51. Instructions to jury -- objection. The court may, during the trial or at the close of the evidence, request each of the parties to submit proposed written instructions on the law of the case. No party may assign as error the failure to instruct on any point of law unless that party offers an instruction thereon. The court shall rule upon the proposed instructions and may prepare other written instructions to be given of its own motion and shall submit to the parties the instructions that will be given and provide opportunity to make objections. Objections made shall specify and state the particular grounds on which the instruction is objected to and it shall not be sufficient in stating the ground of such objection to state generally the instruction does not state the law or is against the law, but such ground of objection shall specify particularly wherein the instruction is insufficient or does not state the law, or what particular clause therein is objected to. All objections and rulings thereon shall be made out of the presence of the jury. No exceptions are necessary to the rulings of the court on the giving or the refusal of instructions. The court shall read to the jury the instructions given before the arguments of counsel are commenced.

     History: En. Sec. 51, Ch. 13, L. 1961; amd. Sup. Ct. Ord. May 1, 1990, eff. May 1, 1990.

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