Ohio Revised Code
Chapter 2938 | Trial - Magistrate Courts
Section 2938.11 | Order of Trial.

Effective: March 17, 1987
Latest Legislation: House Bill 412 - 116th General Assembly
The trial of an issue shall proceed before the trial court or jury as follows:
(A) Counsel may state the case for the prosecution, including the evidence by which he expects to sustain it.
(B) Counsel for the defendant may state his defense, including the evidence which he expects to offer.
(C) The prosecution then shall produce all its evidence, and the defendant may follow with his evidence, but the court or magistrate, in the furtherance of justice and for good cause shown, may permit evidence to be offered by either side out of its order and may permit rebuttal evidence to be offered by the prosecution.
(D) When the evidence is concluded, unless the case is submitted without argument, counsel for the prosecution shall commence, defendant or his counsel follow, and counsel for the prosecution conclude his argument either to the court or jury. The judge or magistrate may impose a reasonable time limit on argument.
(E) The judge, after argument is concluded in a jury case, forthwith shall charge the jury on the law pertaining to the case and controlling their deliberations, which charge shall not be reduced to writing and taken into the jury room unless the trial judge in his discretion shall so order.
(F) Any verdict arrived at by the jury, or finding determined by the judge or magistrate in trial to the court, shall be announced and received only in open court as soon as it is determined. Any finding by the judge or magistrate shall be announced in open court not more than forty-eight hours after submission of the case to him.

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