Me. R. Evid. 615 (2026)

RULE 615. EXCLUDING WITNESSES

At a party’s request or on the court’s own initiative, the court may order witnesses excluded so that they cannot hear other witnesses’ testimony. But this rule does not authorize excluding:

(a) A party who is a natural person;

(b) An officer or employee of a party that is not a natural person, after being designated as the party’s representative by its attorney; or

(c) A person whose presence a party shows to be essential to presenting the party’s claim or defense.

Maine Restyling Note [November 2014]

Maine Rule 603 is similar to its federal counterpart. The minor differences in the proposed restyled Rule preserve the substantive differences.

Federal Restyling Committee Note

The language of Rule 615 has been amended as part of the restyling of the Evidence Rules to make them more easily understood and to make style and terminology consistent throughout the rules. These changes are intended to be stylistic only. There is no intent to change any result in any ruling on evidence admissibility. __________________________________________________________________

Advisers’ Note to former M.R. Evid. 615 (February 2, 1976)

This rule makes exclusion of witnesses from the courtroom while other witnesses are testifying wholly discretionary, reversible only for abuse. State v. Miller, 253 A.2d 58 (Me. 1969). In practice the court routinely grants a request for exclusion. The Federal Rule makes exclusion mandatory on request.