Rule 605 Judge’s Competency as a Witness

A judge who is running a trial cannot also take the witness stand and testify in that same case. This keeps the judge's role separate from the role of a witness, so the judge stays neutral and focused on deciding the case rather than giving evidence in it.

If a judge tries to testify in their own trial, the lawyers do not need to speak up and object at that moment. The problem is automatically preserved, meaning it can still be raised later, such as on appeal, even if nobody objected in the courtroom at the time.

This rule protects fairness in the trial. It stops any confusion about whether the judge is acting as a neutral decision maker or as someone providing facts about the case.