New Mexico Forms Library

13-114. Corporation a party.  (Optional as preliminary instruction.)

            The __________________ (plaintiff, defendant, or other party) in this case is a corporation.  A corporation is entitled to the same fair and unprejudiced treatment as an individual and you should decide the case with the same impartiality as you would use in deciding a case between individuals.

USE NOTE

            In order to facilitate juror understanding of the law and the legal process, it is helpful to provide instructions on certain issues before trial begins or during trial, when particular issues arise.  This learn-as-you-go approach avoids overloading the jurors with a mountain of instructions at the end of the case.  The courts are encouraged to provide some instructions earlier in the case.  Optional instructions 13-114 NMRA through 13-118 NMRA are the kind of instructions which may be appropriate to give before trial begins.  They may be given whenever requested by counsel.  When given before or during trial, instructions shall be read to the jury.  These instructions will not be re-read at the end of the case, but may be submitted to the jury with the complete packet of written instructions at the end of the case, upon request of counsel.  Nothing in these use notes precludes the submission of any other instruction before or during trial, if it may be helpful to the jury.

[13-206 NMRA; as amended, effective January 1, 1987; recompiled and amended, effective March 1, 2005.]