2000 Minnesota Statutes

     546.11 Order of trial. 

    In a civil case when the jury is completed and sworn, the 
 trial shall proceed in the following order, unless for special 
 reasons the court shall otherwise direct: 

    (1) The plaintiff, after stating the issue, shall produce 
 the plaintiff's evidence; 

    (2) The defendant may then open the defense, and produce 
 evidence in support thereof; 

    (3) The parties may then respectively offer rebutting 
 evidence only, unless the court, in furtherance of justice, 
 shall permit either to introduce evidence upon each's original 
 case; 

    (4) When the evidence is concluded, unless the case be 
 submitted by one side or both without argument, the defendant 
 shall open and the plaintiff close the argument to the jury; 
 provided, that if the defendant have the affirmative of the 
 issue to be tried the foregoing order of trial shall be 
 reversed; 

    (5) If several defendants, having separate defenses, appear 
 by different counsel, the court shall determine their relative 
 order in respect to both evidence and argument; 

    (6) When the argument is closed the court may charge the 
 jury. 

    HIST: (9295) RL s 4171; 1979 c 233 s 21; 1986 c 444