opening statement

opening statement. At the outset of a trial, an advocate’s statement giving the fact-finder a preview of the case and of the evidence to be presented. • Although the opening statement is not supposed to be argumentative, lawyers — purposefully or not — often include some form of argument. The term is thus sometimes referred to as opening argument. [Cases: Criminal Law 702.1; Federal Civil Procedure 1971; Trial 109. C.J.S. Trial §§ 263–275, 316.]

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词条贡献者

译者崇载，国际名校知识产权法专业，擅长翻译各种与知识产权相关的法律文件。