Rule 233 Parties’ Order of Proceeding

In a court trial, there is a set order for who gets to speak and act first. The party who is listed first in the court papers goes first. This applies to everything, from picking jurors to giving opening and closing statements to presenting evidence and questioning witnesses.

If all the parties agree to a different order, they can change it. A judge can also change the order if needed. In more complicated cases, like when multiple cases are combined or when there are third-party claims involved, the judge decides who goes in what order.