WI · jury_instructions
Wis JI-Criminal 175
Motive
[USE THE TWO SENTENCES IN BRACKETS ONLY IF INTENT IS AN
ELEMENT OF THE CRIME CHARGED.]
[Intent should not be confused with motive. While proof of intent is necessary to a
conviction, proof of motive is not.]
[USE THE FOLLOWING IN ALL CASES WHERE AN INSTRUCTION ON
MOTIVE IS BELIEVED TO BE APPROPRIATE.]
"Motive" refers to a person's reason for doing something. While motive may be shown as
a circumstance to aid in establishing the guilt of a defendant, the State is not required to
prove motive on the part of a defendant in order to convict. Evidence of motive does not by
itself establish guilt. You should give it the weight you believe it deserves under all of
the circumstances.
History
Wis JI-Criminal 175 (2000). Release No. 38, 4/2000. © 2000, Regents, Univ. of Wis. Prepared by the Wisconsin Criminal Jury Instructions Committee of the Wisconsin Judicial Conference with the University of Wisconsin Law School; posted by the Wisconsin State Law Library with the University's permission.
Provenance
- Source
- wilawlibrary.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-09-24
- Edition
- 2026-09-24
- Content hash
1c5f75dc13d01e81ef58395d20a79e9f8e375d094e25666596b47c48edcd6102
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