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Rule VII Courtroom and Trial Rules

Baldwin's Kentucky Revised Statutes Annotated28th Judicial District - Pulaski District Court

Baldwin's Kentucky Revised Statutes Annotated
28th Judicial District - Pulaski District Court
KY RPDC Rule VII
Rule VII Courtroom and Trial Rules
Currentness
A. Court shall convene at 9:00 a.m. prevailing time.
B. A fifteen minute recess shall be taken at approximately 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. and one and one half hours shall be allotted to lunch at approximately 12:00 noon. Court shall recess for the day at approximately 5:00 p.m. unless there be good cause for recess at a later hour. No telephone calls or other unreasonable interruptions shall be allowed during the course of a trial.
C. The following decorum shall be observed at all times:
(1) No smoking will be permitted in the main Courtroom at any time.
(2) Newspapers shall not be permitted in the main Courtroom while Court is in session.
(3) Counsel are expected to use the jury room, or one of the witness rooms for such purposes as exercising peremptory challenges, conferring with clients or witnesses, and headquartering of witnesses placed under the rule.
(4) Conduct of Attorneys During Trial
(a) All personalities between counsel should be avoided. The personal history or personal peculiarities of counsel on opposing side should not be alluded to. Personal colloquies between counsel which cause delay or promote confusion should be avoided.
(b) Adverse witnesses and suitors should be treated with fairness and due consideration. No abusive language or offensive personal references should be indulged in.
(c) The conduct of the lawyers before the Court and with other lawyers should be characterized by candor and fairness. The contents of a paper, the testimony of a witness, the language of argument of opposite counsel or the language of a decision or other authority cited should not be knowingly misinterpreted. Evidence known to be inadmissible should not be offered. In an argument addressed to the Court, remarks or statements should not be interjected to influence the jury or spectators.
(d) Suggestions of counsel looking to the comfort or convenience of jurors should be made to the Court out of the jury's hearing. Before and during trial, a lawyer should avoid communicating with jurors, even as to matters foreign to the cause.
(e) Respect for the Court and it's judgments should be promoted by counsel yielding gracefully to rulings of the Court. Remarks to the contrary should be avoided, both in court and out. Easy and ample means to correct errors are afforded by orderly procedure.
(f) Agreements or proposals to agree regarding any phase of a case or the trial thereof shall be made outside the hearing of the jury.
(5) Everyone shall stand upon entry of the Court. Spectators shall remain seated until the jurors have retired from the Courtroom.
(6) Officers shall not wear arms while testifying.
(7) The Sheriff or his deputy will be present at all times to attend to the needs of the Court and to enforce these and all proper rules of decorum.

Credits

HISTORY: Effective August 31, 1979.
Pulaski District Court Rule VII, KY R PULASKI DIST CT Rule VII
Current with amendments received through November 15, 2023. Some rules may be more current, see credits for details.
End of Document