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CHAPTER 29-21TRIAL29-21-01. Order of trial. The jurors having been impaneled and sworn, the trial mustproceed in the following order:1.If the information or indictment is for a felony, the clerk or state's attorney shall read<br>it, and shall state the plea of the defendant to the jury.In all other cases thisformality may be dispensed with.2.The state's attorney, or other counsel for the state, shall open the case and offer the<br>evidence in support of the information or indictment.3.The defendant or the defendant's counsel then may open the defense and offer the<br>defendant's evidence in support thereof.4.The parties then, respectively, may offer rebutting testimony only, unless the court,<br>for good reason, in furtherance of justice, or to correct an evident oversight, permits<br>them to offer evidence upon their original case.5.When the evidence is concluded, unless the case is submitted to the jury on either<br>side, or on both sides, without argument, the counsel for the state shall commence,<br>and the defendant or the defendant's counsel shall follow. Then the counsel for the<br>state shall conclude the argument to the jury.6.The judge then shall charge the jury.29-21-02. Order of trial may be changed for cause. When the state of the pleadingsrequires it, or in any other case, for good reasons and in the sound discretion of the court, the<br>order of trial and argument prescribed in section 29-21-01 may be departed from.29-21-03. Court to decide questions of law. The court shall decide all questions of lawwhich arise in the course of the trial.29-21-04. Jurors generally determine only facts. On the trial of an information orindictment for any offense other than libel, questions of law are to be decided by the court, and,<br>although the jurors have the power to find a general verdict, which includes questions of law as<br>well as of fact, they are bound, nevertheless, to receive as law what is laid down as such by the<br>court.29-21-05. Presumption of innocence - Acquittal on reasonable doubt. A defendantin a criminal action is presumed to be innocent until the contrary is proved, and in case of a<br>reasonable doubt as to whether the defendant's guilt is satisfactorily shown, the defendant is<br>entitled to be acquitted.29-21-06.Doubt as to degree of crime.When it appears that a defendant hascommitted a public offense and there is reasonable ground to doubt in which of two or more<br>degrees the defendant is guilty, the defendant can be convicted of the lowest of such degrees<br>only.29-21-07. Persons jointly accused of crime jointly tried - Exceptions. Whenever twoor more persons are jointly charged with any crime, they must be tried jointly, subject to the<br>power of the court, in its discretion and for special reasons, to order separate trials as to one or<br>more of the defendants, and when tried jointly there may be joint or several convictions or<br>acquittals, as the jury may determine the facts.29-21-08. Defendant discharged to testify. When two or more persons are chargedwith an offense in the same information or indictment, the court, at any time before thePage No. 1defendants have gone into their defense, on the application of the state's attorney, may direct<br>any defendant to be discharged from the information or indictment, that that defendant may be a<br>witness for the state.29-21-09. Discharge to be witness for codefendant. Whenever two or more personsare charged with an offense in the same information or indictment, and the court is of the opinion<br>that in regard to a particular defendant there is not sufficient evidence to put that person on that<br>person's defense, it shall order that person to be discharged before the evidence is closed that<br>that person may be a witness for that person's codefendant.29-21-10. Such discharge an acquittal - Bar to further prosecution. The discharge ofa defendant under either of sections 29-21-08 and 29-21-09 is an acquittal of the offense charged<br>in the information or indictment, or any offense of which that person might have been found guilty<br>thereunder, and is a bar to another prosecution therefor.29-21-11.Defendant witness in own behalf.In the trial of a criminal action orproceeding before any court or magistrate of this state, whether prosecuted by information,<br>indictment, complaint, or otherwise, the defendant, at the defendant's own request and not<br>otherwise, must be deemed a competent witness, but the defendant's neglect or refusal to testify<br>does not create or raise any presumption of guilt against the defendant. Nor may such neglect or<br>refusal be referred to by any attorney prosecuting the case, or considered by the court or jury<br>before whom the trial takes place.29-21-12. Rules of evidence. Superseded by N.D.R.Crim.P., Rule 26; N.D.R.Ev., Rule101.29-21-12.1.Statements, admissions, or confessions procured by duress, fraud,threat, or promises inadmissible in any criminal action. Repealed by S.L. 1995, ch. 320, <meta property="og:url" content="https://statutes.laws.com/test/" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Statutes" /> <meta property="article:modified_time" content="2019-12-27T23:25:16+00:00" /> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" /> <h2>State Codes and Statutes</h2> <a href='https://statutes.laws.com/'>Statutes</a> > <a href='https://statutes.laws.com/north-dakota'>North-dakota</a> > <a href='https://statutes.laws.com/north-dakota/t29'>T29</a> > <a href='https://statutes.laws.com/north-dakota/t29/t29c21'>T29c21</a><br><br><a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/north-dakota/2009/t29/pdf/t29c21.pdf">Download pdf</a><br><div id="embed_document" style="width:625px; height:815px; text-align:center;">Loading PDF...</div><script type="text/javascript"> var pdf_url = 'https://law.justia.com/codes/north-dakota/2009/t29/pdf/t29c21.pdf'; $(document).ready(function() { var embedwindow = $("#embed_document"); if ($.browser.msie){ embedwindow.html('<embed src="'+pdf_url+'" width="100%" height="100%"></embed>'); } else { embedwindow.html('<iframe style="width:100%; height:100%;" src="https://docs.google.com/gview?url='+window.escape(pdf_url)+'&embedded=true" frameborder="0"></iframe>'); } });</script><br><br><noframes>CHAPTER 29-21TRIAL29-21-01. Order of trial. The jurors having been impaneled and sworn, the trial mustproceed in the following order:1.If the information or indictment is for a felony, the clerk or state's attorney shall read<br>it, and shall state the plea of the defendant to the jury.In all other cases thisformality may be dispensed with.2.The state's attorney, or other counsel for the state, shall open the case and offer the<br>evidence in support of the information or indictment.3.The defendant or the defendant's counsel then may open the defense and offer the<br>defendant's evidence in support thereof.4.The parties then, respectively, may offer rebutting testimony only, unless the court,<br>for good reason, in furtherance of justice, or to correct an evident oversight, permits<br>them to offer evidence upon their original case.5.When the evidence is concluded, unless the case is submitted to the jury on either<br>side, or on both sides, without argument, the counsel for the state shall commence,<br>and the defendant or the defendant's counsel shall follow. Then the counsel for the<br>state shall conclude the argument to the jury.6.The judge then shall charge the jury.29-21-02. Order of trial may be changed for cause. When the state of the pleadingsrequires it, or in any other case, for good reasons and in the sound discretion of the court, the<br>order of trial and argument prescribed in section 29-21-01 may be departed from.29-21-03. Court to decide questions of law. The court shall decide all questions of lawwhich arise in the course of the trial.29-21-04. Jurors generally determine only facts. On the trial of an information orindictment for any offense other than libel, questions of law are to be decided by the court, and,<br>although the jurors have the power to find a general verdict, which includes questions of law as<br>well as of fact, they are bound, nevertheless, to receive as law what is laid down as such by the<br>court.29-21-05. Presumption of innocence - Acquittal on reasonable doubt. A defendantin a criminal action is presumed to be innocent until the contrary is proved, and in case of a<br>reasonable doubt as to whether the defendant's guilt is satisfactorily shown, the defendant is<br>entitled to be acquitted.29-21-06.Doubt as to degree of crime.When it appears that a defendant hascommitted a public offense and there is reasonable ground to doubt in which of two or more<br>degrees the defendant is guilty, the defendant can be convicted of the lowest of such degrees<br>only.29-21-07. Persons jointly accused of crime jointly tried - Exceptions. Whenever twoor more persons are jointly charged with any crime, they must be tried jointly, subject to the<br>power of the court, in its discretion and for special reasons, to order separate trials as to one or<br>more of the defendants, and when tried jointly there may be joint or several convictions or<br>acquittals, as the jury may determine the facts.29-21-08. Defendant discharged to testify. When two or more persons are chargedwith an offense in the same information or indictment, the court, at any time before thePage No. 1defendants have gone into their defense, on the application of the state's attorney, may direct<br>any defendant to be discharged from the information or indictment, that that defendant may be a<br>witness for the state.29-21-09. Discharge to be witness for codefendant. Whenever two or more personsare charged with an offense in the same information or indictment, and the court is of the opinion<br>that in regard to a particular defendant there is not sufficient evidence to put that person on that<br>person's defense, it shall order that person to be discharged before the evidence is closed that<br>that person may be a witness for that person's codefendant.29-21-10. Such discharge an acquittal - Bar to further prosecution. The discharge ofa defendant under either of sections 29-21-08 and 29-21-09 is an acquittal of the offense charged<br>in the information or indictment, or any offense of which that person might have been found guilty<br>thereunder, and is a bar to another prosecution therefor.29-21-11.Defendant witness in own behalf.In the trial of a criminal action orproceeding before any court or magistrate of this state, whether prosecuted by information,<br>indictment, complaint, or otherwise, the defendant, at the defendant's own request and not<br>otherwise, must be deemed a competent witness, but the defendant's neglect or refusal to testify<br>does not create or raise any presumption of guilt against the defendant. Nor may such neglect or<br>refusal be referred to by any attorney prosecuting the case, or considered by the court or jury<br>before whom the trial takes place.29-21-12. Rules of evidence. Superseded by N.D.R.Crim.P., Rule 26; N.D.R.Ev., Rule101.29-21-12.1.Statements, admissions, or confessions procured by duress, fraud,threat, or promises inadmissible in any criminal action. 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class="shortcode-content"> <h2>State Codes and Statutes</h2> <a href='https://statutes.laws.com/'>Statutes</a> > <a href='https://statutes.laws.com/north-dakota'>North-dakota</a> > <a href='https://statutes.laws.com/north-dakota/t29'>T29</a> > <a href='https://statutes.laws.com/north-dakota/t29/t29c21'>T29c21</a><br><br><a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/north-dakota/2009/t29/pdf/t29c21.pdf">Download pdf</a><br><div id="embed_document" style="width:625px; height:815px; text-align:center;">Loading PDF...</div><script type="text/javascript"> var pdf_url = 'https://law.justia.com/codes/north-dakota/2009/t29/pdf/t29c21.pdf'; $(document).ready(function() { var embedwindow = $("#embed_document"); if ($.browser.msie){ embedwindow.html('<embed src="'+pdf_url+'" width="100%" height="100%"></embed>'); } else { embedwindow.html('<iframe style="width:100%; height:100%;" src="https://docs.google.com/gview?url='+window.escape(pdf_url)+'&embedded=true" frameborder="0"></iframe>'); } });</script><br><br><noframes>CHAPTER 29-21TRIAL29-21-01. Order of trial. The jurors having been impaneled and sworn, the trial mustproceed in the following order:1.If the information or indictment is for a felony, the clerk or state's attorney shall read<br>it, and shall state the plea of the defendant to the jury.In all other cases thisformality may be dispensed with.2.The state's attorney, or other counsel for the state, shall open the case and offer the<br>evidence in support of the information or indictment.3.The defendant or the defendant's counsel then may open the defense and offer the<br>defendant's evidence in support thereof.4.The parties then, respectively, may offer rebutting testimony only, unless the court,<br>for good reason, in furtherance of justice, or to correct an evident oversight, permits<br>them to offer evidence upon their original case.5.When the evidence is concluded, unless the case is submitted to the jury on either<br>side, or on both sides, without argument, the counsel for the state shall commence,<br>and the defendant or the defendant's counsel shall follow. Then the counsel for the<br>state shall conclude the argument to the jury.6.The judge then shall charge the jury.29-21-02. Order of trial may be changed for cause. When the state of the pleadingsrequires it, or in any other case, for good reasons and in the sound discretion of the court, the<br>order of trial and argument prescribed in section 29-21-01 may be departed from.29-21-03. Court to decide questions of law. The court shall decide all questions of lawwhich arise in the course of the trial.29-21-04. Jurors generally determine only facts. On the trial of an information orindictment for any offense other than libel, questions of law are to be decided by the court, and,<br>although the jurors have the power to find a general verdict, which includes questions of law as<br>well as of fact, they are bound, nevertheless, to receive as law what is laid down as such by the<br>court.29-21-05. Presumption of innocence - Acquittal on reasonable doubt. A defendantin a criminal action is presumed to be innocent until the contrary is proved, and in case of a<br>reasonable doubt as to whether the defendant's guilt is satisfactorily shown, the defendant is<br>entitled to be acquitted.29-21-06.Doubt as to degree of crime.When it appears that a defendant hascommitted a public offense and there is reasonable ground to doubt in which of two or more<br>degrees the defendant is guilty, the defendant can be convicted of the lowest of such degrees<br>only.29-21-07. Persons jointly accused of crime jointly tried - Exceptions. Whenever twoor more persons are jointly charged with any crime, they must be tried jointly, subject to the<br>power of the court, in its discretion and for special reasons, to order separate trials as to one or<br>more of the defendants, and when tried jointly there may be joint or several convictions or<br>acquittals, as the jury may determine the facts.29-21-08. Defendant discharged to testify. When two or more persons are chargedwith an offense in the same information or indictment, the court, at any time before thePage No. 1defendants have gone into their defense, on the application of the state's attorney, may direct<br>any defendant to be discharged from the information or indictment, that that defendant may be a<br>witness for the state.29-21-09. Discharge to be witness for codefendant. Whenever two or more personsare charged with an offense in the same information or indictment, and the court is of the opinion<br>that in regard to a particular defendant there is not sufficient evidence to put that person on that<br>person's defense, it shall order that person to be discharged before the evidence is closed that<br>that person may be a witness for that person's codefendant.29-21-10. Such discharge an acquittal - Bar to further prosecution. The discharge ofa defendant under either of sections 29-21-08 and 29-21-09 is an acquittal of the offense charged<br>in the information or indictment, or any offense of which that person might have been found guilty<br>thereunder, and is a bar to another prosecution therefor.29-21-11.Defendant witness in own behalf.In the trial of a criminal action orproceeding before any court or magistrate of this state, whether prosecuted by information,<br>indictment, complaint, or otherwise, the defendant, at the defendant's own request and not<br>otherwise, must be deemed a competent witness, but the defendant's neglect or refusal to testify<br>does not create or raise any presumption of guilt against the defendant. Nor may such neglect or<br>refusal be referred to by any attorney prosecuting the case, or considered by the court or jury<br>before whom the trial takes place.29-21-12. Rules of evidence. Superseded by N.D.R.Crim.P., Rule 26; N.D.R.Ev., Rule101.29-21-12.1.Statements, admissions, or confessions procured by duress, fraud,threat, or promises inadmissible in any criminal action. Repealed by S.L. 1995, ch. 320,  </div> </div>  </div>  <div class="main-content-right">  <div class="main-nosplit">  <div class="widget_text widget-1 first panel"><div class="textwidget custom-html-widget"><script type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="//tags.expo9.exponential.com/tags/Lawscom/ROS/tags.js"></script></div></div><div class="widget-2 panel"><div class="menu-top-menu-container"><ul id="menu-top-menu-1" class="menu"><li id="menu-item-154" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-154 custom-class-1"><a href="https://www.laws.com/">Laws</a></li> <li id="menu-item-155" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-155 custom-class-2"><a href="https://lawyer.laws.com/">Lawyers</a></li> <li id="menu-item-156" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-156 custom-class-3"><a href="https://find.laws.com/">Find Laws</a></li> <li id="menu-item-157" class="menu-item 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