Rule 21.2 Additional instructions.

If a jury asks for more instructions during deliberations, or if the judge decides more instructions are needed after the trial has started, those instructions usually have to be written down. This creates a clear record of exactly what the jury was told.

There is one shortcut allowed. If the extra instruction comes from the official set of Alabama pattern jury instructions for criminal cases, the judge does not have to write it out in full. Instead, the judge can simply state the number and title of that pattern instruction on the record, and that counts as meeting the writing requirement.

This rule matters because it keeps the process fair and clear. Both sides in the case, and anyone reviewing the case later, can see exactly what legal guidance the jury received. It prevents confusion about what the judge told the jury and protects the defendant's right to a fair trial based on accurate legal instructions.