What duty does a court have to inform a jury of general principles of law?
California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from People v. Mayer, B254286 (Cal. App. 2015):
A court has a sua sponte duty to "instruct on general principles of law relevant to the issues raised by the evidence and necessary for the jury's understanding of the case." (People v. Martinez (2010) 47 Cal.4th 911, 953.) Section 1138 provides in relevant part: "After the jury have retired for deliberation . . . if they desire to be informed on any point of law arising in the case . . . the information required must be given . . . ." The trial
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