California · Evidence Code

EVID §772: (a) The examination of a witness shall proceed in the following phases: direct examination, cross-examination, redirect examination, recross-examination, and continuing thereafter by redirect and recr

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

This statute establishes the procedural phases for examining witnesses at trial—direct examination, cross-examination, redirect, and recross-examination—and governs when courts may allow interruptions or examination on new matters.

Read the full statutory text

(a) The examination of a witness shall proceed in the following phases: direct examination, cross-examination, redirect examination, recross-examination, and continuing thereafter by redirect and recross-examination. (b) Unless for good cause the court otherwise directs, each phase of the examination of a witness must be concluded before the succeeding phase begins. (c) Subject to subdivision (d), a party may, in the discretion of the court, interrupt his cross-examination, redirect examination, or recross-examination of a witness, in order to examine the witness upon a matter not within the scope of a previous examination of the witness. (d) If the witness is the defendant in a criminal action, the witness may not, without his consent, be examined under direct examination by another party.

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