A typical trial day will begin around 9:30 a.m. and end around 4:30 p.m. with about an hour for a lunch break. Trial counsel must be present by 9:00 a.m. to discuss any preliminary matters. The Court will provide as much advance notice as possible of any changes to this schedule.

Please be on time for each court session. Trial engagements take precedence over any other business. If you have matters in other courtrooms, arrange in advance to have them continued or have a colleague handle them for you.

Court time may not be used for marking exhibits. This must be done in advance of the trial.

Please stand whenever you address the Court and when you question witnesses unless you are physically unable to do so. This includes the making of objections.
Please speak into the microphone whenever speaking on the record in court. A portable microphone is available if counsel wishes to move away from the stationary microphones.

In your opening statement to the jury, do not argue the case. Confine yourself to a concise summary of the important facts.

If on direct examination you intend to question a witness about a group of documents, avoid delay by having all the documents available in a witness binder when you start the examination.

When you object in the presence of the jury, make your objection short and to the point. Do not argue the objection or with the ruling of the Court in the presence of the jury.  Such matters may be raised at the first recess and will not be waived by waiting until then.

Do not ask the Court in the presence of the jury to declare that a witness is qualified as an expert or qualified to express an expert opinion.

To minimize the need for side bars, counsel should raise all anticipated issues before the trial day begins, during breaks, or at the close of the day when the jury is not in the courtroom.  To the extent possible, any legal matters or evidentiary issues that may arise during the course of a trial and have not been the subject of a motion in limine or pretrial motion should be called to the Court’s attention and discussed between counsel as early as possible but no later than the night before the witness or exhibit is to be offered.

Counsel are in charge of their own exhibits. Large exhibits may be stored in the cloakroom overnight.   

Cell phones must be turned off while court is in session.

Before closing arguments, the parties must provide a hard copy of all the admitted exhibits for the jury to review during deliberations.  The Court further reminds counsel of the need to prepare digital versions of exhibits that are compatible with the Court’s JERS system.

After the conclusion of any civil or criminal trial, no party, agent or attorney is permitted to contact jurors without first receiving permission of the Court.