Rule 63 Judge’s inability to proceed

If a judge gets sick, dies, retires, or otherwise can't finish a case, a different judge can step in and take over. Before doing this, the new judge has to review the case record, confirm they understand what has happened so far, and make sure switching judges won't be unfair to either side.

For hearings or trials without a jury, if one of the parties asks, the new judge must bring back any witness whose testimony matters and is being disputed, as long as that witness can testify again without major difficulty. The new judge also has the option to call back any other witness, even if nobody specifically asks for it.

This rule exists so that cases don't have to start completely over just because a judge becomes unavailable partway through. It lets a new judge pick up where the last one left off, while still protecting each side's right to a fair process.