Rule 614 Court’s Calling or Examining a Witness

# Rule 614: Court's Calling or Examining a Witness

A judge doesn't have to sit back and just watch the lawyers question witnesses. Under this rule, the judge can call their own witness to the stand, even if neither side asked for that person to testify. If the judge does this, both sides still get a fair chance to cross-examine that witness, just like they would with any other witness.

The judge can also jump in and ask questions of any witness, no matter which side originally called them to testify. This gives the judge some control over making sure the testimony is clear and complete, not just what the lawyers choose to ask about.

If a lawyer thinks the judge shouldn't be calling or questioning a witness in a certain way, they can object. They don't always have to object right when it happens. If the jury is in the room, the lawyer can wait and raise the objection later, once the jury has stepped out. This lets lawyers protect their client's rights without making the objection in front of the jury, which could look bad or cause confusion.