Order of trial.
Section 132
SEC. 132. Order of trial. — The trial must proceed in the following order, unless the judge, for special reasons, otherwise directs: 1. The plaintiff, after stating the issue and his case, must produce the evidence on his part; but he may read the complaint as his statement of the case, if the judge so directs; 2. The defendant shall then state his defense and offer his evidence in support thereof; but he may read his answer as his statement of defense, if the judge so directs; 3. The parties may then respectively offer rebutting evidence only, unless the court, for good reason, in the furtherance of justice, permits them to offer evidence upon their original case; 4. When the evidence is concluded, unless the parties on either side or both sides agree to submit it without argument, the plaintiff or his counsel may make the opening argument, the defendant or his counsel may follow, and the plaintiff or his counsel may conclude the argument. Two counsels may, if desired, be heard upon each side, but in the order herein prescribed; 5. If several defendants, having separate defenses, appear by different counsel, the court must determine their relative order in the evidence and argument, but in any event the plaintiff is entitled to the opening and closing argument.