Section 15-5.Order of Parties Proceeding at Trial
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
Full Text of Section 15-5
Amendment History
(P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 295.)
Plain-English Summary
Unless the judicial authority allows a different sequence for cause, trial follows a fixed order. The plaintiff presents a case-in-chief first, then the defendant may present one. After that, the parties may offer rebuttal evidence in successive rounds, and the judicial authority may, for cause, permit evidence beyond rebuttal — if the plaintiff gets to add further evidence-in-chief, the defendant may respond in kind.
Argument follows the same pattern: the plaintiff opens and also gets the final closing argument, while the defendant makes one closing argument sandwiched between the plaintiff’s opening and the plaintiff’s final close. When a case has multiple plaintiffs or multiple defendants who cannot agree on their own order of proceeding, the judicial authority decides it for them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who argues last at a Connecticut civil trial under Section 15-5?
The plaintiff does. The plaintiff opens the argument and also makes the final closing argument, with the defendant’s single closing argument in between.
Can a party offer evidence beyond rebuttal after the case-in-chief stage?
Yes, but only if the judicial authority permits it for cause, and if the plaintiff is allowed further evidence-in-chief, the defendant may respond with further evidence-in-chief as well.
What happens when there are multiple plaintiffs or defendants who disagree on order of proceeding?
The judicial authority determines the order when co-parties cannot agree among themselves.