Law and Rules Regarding Expert Witness Sequestration in Rhode Island

The sequestration of expert witnesses falls under Rhode Island’s Rules of Evidence, Rule 615. R.I. GEN. LAWS ANN. R. EVID. § 6-615 (West 2017). This rule allows the court to exclude witnesses from the courtroom as to not hear testimony of other witnesses when requested by a party or through an order of its own. Id. The rule has three exceptions of individuals the court cannot exclude and expert witnesses fall under the third exception. Id. The third exception is for “a person whose presence is shown by a party to be essential to the presentation of his or her cause.” Id. The trial court is given discretion to ultimately determine if an expert is essential enough that it falls within the exception and should not be excluded from the courtroom. State v. Perez, 882 A.2d 574 (R.I. 2005).