Rule 615 concerns excluding witnesses. What is permitted?

• A. The court must always allow witnesses to hear other testimony.
• B. Excluding witnesses is optional and at the sole discretion of the parties.
• C. The court may exclude witnesses so they cannot hear other witnesses' testimony, with limited exceptions.
• D. Only the judge may exclude witnesses, not the court.

Answer: (C)

Rule 615 gives the court the authority to exclude witnesses so they cannot hear other witnesses’ testimony. This isn’t automatic or up to the parties to decide; a party can request exclusion, and the court decides whether to grant it. There are limited exceptions that allow certain people to remain in the courtroom if their presence is needed to present the case, such as a party or a person essential to presenting the case, or an expert whose testimony is necessary. So the correct statement captures that the court may exclude witnesses, with limited exceptions. The other options misstate who controls exclusion or whether it must happen.