At the request of a party the court shall order witnesses excluded so that they cannot hear the testimony of other witnesses. The court may make the order of its own motion. This rule does not authorize exclusion of:
§ 2615.Exclusion of Witnesses
Chapter 40: Oklahoma Evidence Code · Last amended November 1, 2022 · Last verified August 3, 2026
In one sentenceRequires a court, on a party's request or its own motion, to exclude witnesses so they can't hear each other's testimony, while exempting five categories from exclusion: natural-person parties, an entity's designated representative, essential witnesses, certain relatives of a child witness, and crime victims or their representatives.
Full Text of § 2615
1. A party who is a natural person;
2. An officer or employee of a party which is not a natural person designated as its representative by its attorney;
3. A person whose presence is shown by a party to be essential to the presentation of the party's cause;
5. The victim of an alleged criminal offense or a representative, parent or other relative of said victim, in any criminal prosecution, upon the motion of the state to bar such exclusion, unless the court finds such exclusion to be in the interest of justice.
Amendment History
Amended by Laws 2022, c. 104, s. 5, eff. 11/1/2022. Laws 1978, SB 276, c. 285, § 615, eff. 10/1/1978; Amended by Laws 1988, HB 1973, c. 109, § 1, eff. 11/1/1988; Amended by Laws 1991, HB 1381, c. 62, § 5, eff. 9/1/1991; Amended by Laws 1993, HB 1197, c. 197, § 2, eff. 9/1/1993.
Plain-English Summary
Often called "the rule" by trial lawyers, this section keeps witnesses from tailoring their testimony to match what they've heard others say. On request, or on the court's own motion, witnesses get excluded from the courtroom so they can't hear other witnesses testify.
Five categories can't be excluded regardless: a party who's a natural person, an entity's representative designated by its attorney, a person whose presence a party shows is essential to presenting its case, a parent, other relative, or next friend of a child witness when the court finds it's in the child's and justice's best interests, and the victim of an alleged crime -- or a representative, parent, or other relative of the victim -- upon the state's motion to bar exclusion, unless the court finds exclusion serves the interests of justice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a party ask the judge to keep witnesses out of the courtroom during trial?
Yes, at a party's request the court must order witnesses excluded so they can't hear each other's testimony; the court can also do this on its own motion.
Can the plaintiff or defendant be excluded from the courtroom under this rule?
No, paragraph 1 exempts a party who is a natural person from exclusion.
Can a corporation designate someone to stay in the courtroom during testimony?
Yes, paragraph 2 exempts an officer or employee designated as the corporation's representative by its attorney.
Does a crime victim have to leave the courtroom while other witnesses testify?
Not generally -- paragraph 5 exempts the victim, or a representative, parent, or other relative, upon the state's motion, unless the court finds exclusion serves the interests of justice.
Can a support person for a child witness stay in the courtroom under this rule?
Yes, paragraph 4 exempts a parent, other relative, or next friend of a child witness when the court finds it's in the child's and justice's best interests.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes, enacted by the Oklahoma Legislature.
Last verified August 3, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: the rule sequestration of witnesses oklahoma12 O.S. § 2615FRE 615 oklahoma equivalentexcluding witnesses from courtroom oklahoma