Rule 53 - Jury Trials
Rule 53.2 - Closing Arguments
1. In cases tried before a jury the plaintiff, except as otherwise provided herein, shall have the privilege of opening and closing the argument. Should plaintiff decline to make the opening argument, he will be considered as thereby waiving his privilege of closing the same, and shall not be allowed to do so. But the defendant shall nevertheless have the privilege of making his argument. Before the argument begins, the Court will announce how much time will be allowed on each side for argument, each side being allowed the same length of time. The plaintiff may apportion the time allotted to him between his opening and closing argument as he may choose, provided he shall not consume more than one half of this time in his closing argument. In those cases in which the Court decides that the defendant has the affirmative of the issues, he shall have the opening and closing of the argument in like manner and under the same restrictions as above laid down for the plaintiff. The Court may in its discretion change the order of argument as above prescribed in a particular case where the circumstances in the opinion of the Court require it and where it is so ordered before the argument begins. The Court may in its discretion allow the argument in a particular case to extend beyond the allotted time or allot additional time if the circumstances in the opinion of the Court render it proper to do so.
12/19/80