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Rule 604 – Opening Statements and Closing Arguments

May 14, 2021 | Criminal Procedure, Pennsylvania

(A) After the jury has been sworn, the attorney for the Commonwealth shall make an opening statement to the jury. The defendant or the defendant’s attorney may then make an opening statement or reserve it until after the Commonwealth has presented its case.
(B) When the evidence is concluded, each party shall be entitled to present one closing argument to the jury. Regardless of the number of defendants, and whether or not a defendant has presented a defense, the attorney for the Commonwealth shall be entitled to make one argument which shall be made last.

234 Pa. Code ยง 604

Committee Explanatory Reports:

Final Report explaining the March 1, 2000 reorganization and renumbering of the rules published with the Court’s Order at 30 Pa.B. 1477 (March 18, 2000).