Ordinarily, unless the court otherwise directs, the trial of a civil action tried by the court without a jury shall proceed in the order specified in Section 607.
§ 631.7.Order of Trial Without Jury
Title 8. Of the Trial and Judgment In Civil Actions · Chapter 5. Trial by the Court · Enacted 1965 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 631.7 directs that a civil trial without a jury ordinarily proceed in the same order specified for jury trials in § 607, unless the court directs otherwise.
Full Text of § 631.7
Plain-English Summary
A bench trial doesn't get its own separate sequence for opening statements, evidence, and closing arguments. Absent a contrary direction from the court, the trial of a civil action tried without a jury proceeds in the same order § 607 lays out for a jury trial — keeping bench and jury trials structurally consistent unless the judge sees a reason to depart.
Frequently Asked Questions
What order does a bench trial follow?
The same order specified in § 607 for jury trials, unless the court directs a different sequence.
Can the judge depart from the § 607 trial order in a bench trial?
Yes, § 631.7 lets the court direct a different order when it sees a reason to.
Amendment History
Added by Stats. 1965, Ch. 299.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: order of trial without jury california