VT · jury_instructions
Vermont Model Criminal Jury Instructions CR10-116
Definition of “consent” (context of sexual assault)
Consent means the affirmative, unambiguous, and voluntary agreement to engage in a sexual act, which can be revoked at any time. [Lack of consent may be shown without proof of resistance.] [Submission resulting from the use of force, threat of force, or placing another person in fear is not consent.] [A sleeping or unconscious person cannot consent.]
[(Victim)_______________ did not consent if (Def)_______________
knew or reasonably should have known that (victim)_______________ was incapable of consenting to the sexual act.]
[(Victim)_______________ did not consent if (Def)_______________ knew or reasonably should have known that (victim)_______________ was unaware that a sexual act was being committed.]
[(Victim)_______________ did not consent if (Def)_______________ knew or reasonably should have known that (victim)_______________ was incapable of consenting to the sexual act because (victim)_______________ was substantially impaired by alcohol, drugs, or other intoxicants.]
[Incapable of consenting means the person: is incapable of understanding the nature of the conduct at issue; is physically incapable of resisting, declining participation in, or communicating unwillingness to engage in the conduct at issue; or lacks the mental ability to make or communicate a decision about whether to engage in the conduct at issue.]
History
Vermont Model Criminal Jury Instructions CR10-116 (09/25/23). Prepared by the Vermont Model Criminal Jury Instructions committee; published on vtjuryinstructions.org, sponsored by the Vermont Bar Association. The committee states that the instructions have not been approved by the Vermont Supreme Court.
Provenance
- Source
- vtjuryinstructions.org
- Retrieved
- 2026-09-25
- Edition
- 2026-09-25
- Content hash
6f993d5fe3e1afa669bd66bf67e7dff5de54caef75ffcddfd7c7d0e4bfd98769
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