Opening Statements In Alabama, an opening statement is a statement made by an attorney at the beginning of a trial, where the attorney outlines what they intend to prove and what evidence they will present to support their case. The purpose of an opening statement is to give the jury an overview of the case and to provide them with a framework for understanding the evidence and arguments that will be presented. The rules of opening statements in Alabama are governed by the Alabama Rules of Evidence and the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure. According to these rules, the opening statement should be a concise summary of the evidence that the attorney expects to present during the trial. The statement should be based on facts and evidence that are relevant to the case, and should not include arguments or opinions. In Alabama, the plaintiff’s attorney typically presents the opening statement first, followed by the defendant’s attorney. The plaintiff’s attorney has the option of reserving a portion of their opening statement until after the defendant’s attorney has presented their opening statement. It is important to note that an opening statement is not evidence, and the jury is not required to accept the arguments or evidence presented in the opening statement as true. The opening statement is simply a preview of the case, intended to give the jury a framework for understanding the evidence and arguments that will be presented during the trial.