Is a trial judge required to explain the relevant law to the jury in the course of his charge?
Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
The following excerpt is from R v Winters, 1985 CanLII 1847 (NL CA):
Estey, J., in Azouley v. R., 1952 CanLII 4 (SCC), [1952] 2 S.C.R. 495; 15 C.R. 81, at page 503 S.C.R., stated: “The authorities contemplate that in the course of his charge a trial judge should, as a general rule, explain the relevant law and so relate it to the evidence that the jury may appreciate the issues or questions they must pass upon in order to render a verdict of guilty or not guilty. Where as here, the evidence is technical and somewhat involved, it is particularly important that he should do so in a manner that will assist the jury in determining its relevancy and what weight or value they will attribute to the respective portions.”
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