Rule 615 Excluding Witnesses
Article VI. Witnesses
Rule Text
(a) At a party’s request, the court must order witnesses excluded so that they cannot hear other witnesses’ testimony. Or the court may do so on its own. But this rule does not authorize excluding:
(1) a party who is a natural person;
(2) an officer or employee of a party that is not a natural person, after being designated as the party’s representative by its attorney;
(3) a person whose presence a party shows to be essential to presenting the party’s claim or defense; or
(4) a person authorized by statute to be present.
(b) A sequestration order issued under subsection (a) of this rule prohibits a sequestered witness:
(1) from being present in the courtroom until after the witness has testified and is not subject to recall by any party; and
(2) from discussing the testimony he or she has given in the proceeding with any other witness who is subject to sequestration and who has not yet testified.
A sequestration order shall not be construed to impose additional restrictions unless the order clearly describes such restrictions.