(a) Adverse Ruling. For appellate purposes no exception shall be necessary to any adverse ruling, order, instruction, or thing whatsoever said or done at the trial or prior to the trial or after the verdict, which was said or done after objection made and considered by the trial court and which affected the substantial rights of the party complaining and which is assigned as error, other than as provided by rules 12.490 and 12.492.
(b) Instructions to Jury. The Florida Standard Jury Instructions appearing on the court’s website at www.floridasupremecourt.org/jury_instructions.shtml must be used by the trial judges of this state in instructing the jury in civil actions to the extent that the Standard Jury Instructions are applicable, unless the trial judge determines that an applicable Standard Jury Instruction is erroneous or inadequate. If the trial judge modifies a Standard Jury Instruction or gives such other instruction as the judge determines necessary to accurately and sufficiently instruct the jury, on timely objection to the instruction, the trial judge must state on the record or in a separate order the legal basis for varying from the Standard Jury Instruction. Similarly, in all circumstances in which the notes accompanying the Florida Standard Jury Instructions contain a recommendation that a certain type of instruction not be given, the trial judge must follow the recommendation unless the judge determines that the giving of such an instruction is necessary to accurately and sufficiently instruct the jury, in which event the judge must give such instruction as the judge deems appropriate and necessary. If the trial judge does not follow such a recommendation of the Florida Standard Jury Instructions, on timely objection to the instruction, the trial judge must state on the record or in a separate order the legal basis of the determination that such instruction is necessary.
Not later than at the close of the evidence, the parties may file written requests that the court instruct the jury on the law set forth in such requests. The court may then require counsel to appear before it to settle the instructions to be given. At such conference, all objections must be made and ruled on and the court must inform counsel of such instructions as the court will give. No party may assign as error the giving of any instruction unless that party objects thereto at such time, or the failure to give any instruction unless that party requested the same. The court shall orally instruct the jury before or after the arguments of counsel and may provide appropriate instructions during the trial. If the instructions are given before final argument, the presiding judge must give the jury final procedural instructions after final arguments are concluded and before deliberations. The court must provide each juror with a written set of the instructions for his or her use in deliberations. The court must file a copy of such instructions.
(c) Orders on New Trial; Directed Verdicts; etc. It shall not be necessary to object or except to any order granting or denying motions for new trials, directed verdicts, or judgments notwithstanding the verdict or in arrest of judgment to entitle the party against whom such ruling is made to have the same reviewed by an appellate court.