Section 260.30. Jury trial; in what order to proceed


Latest version.
  • The order of a jury trial, in general, is as follows:
        1.  The jury must be selected and sworn.
        2.  The court must deliver preliminary instructions to the jury.
        3.  The people must deliver an opening address to the jury.
        4.  The defendant may deliver an opening address to the jury.
        5.  The people must offer evidence in support of the indictment.
        6.  The defendant may offer evidence in his defense.
        7.  The people may offer evidence in rebuttal of the defense evidence,
      and  the  defendant  may then offer evidence in rebuttal of the people's
      rebuttal evidence.  The court may in its discretion permit  the  parties
      to  offer  further rebuttal or surrebuttal evidence in this pattern.  In
      the interest of justice, the court may  permit  either  party  to  offer
      evidence upon rebuttal which is not technically of a rebuttal nature but
      more properly a part of the offering party's original case.
        8.    At  the  conclusion of the evidence, the defendant may deliver a
      summation to the jury.
        9.  The people may then deliver a summation to the jury.
        10.  The court must then deliver a charge to the jury.
        11.  The jury must then retire to deliberate and, if possible,  render
      a verdict.