The Rule can be invoked to exclude witnesses from trial.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only in civil cases
• D. Only with consent

Answer: (A)

Excluding witnesses is a procedural safeguard that protects the reliability of testimony. The Rule allows a party to request that the court order all witnesses to be excluded from the courtroom so they cannot hear other witnesses’ testimony until they themselves have testified. This helps prevent memory contamination and biased or coordinated testimony. The court generally must grant this exclusion, subject to limited exceptions for people who must be present to present or defend the case (such as the party, their attorney, or someone essential to presenting or authenticating evidence). This tool is available in both civil and criminal trials, and does not depend on the other side’s consent. So the statement is correct.