Rule 614 Court’s Calling or Examining a Witness

A judge doesn't have to wait for the lawyers to call every witness. This rule says the judge can call a witness to testify on their own, or because one side asked them to. If the judge does this, both sides still get the chance to cross-examine that witness, just like normal.

The judge is also allowed to ask a witness questions directly, no matter which side originally called that witness to the stand. This gives the judge some control over making sure the testimony is clear or complete, even if the lawyers didn't ask certain questions.

If a lawyer disagrees with the judge calling or questioning a witness, they can object. They don't have to interrupt right away in front of the jury. They can wait and raise the objection later, at the next point when the jury has left the room. This way, the lawyer can protect their client's rights without making the disagreement look bad in front of the jury.