CONSIDERATION BY THE LAW COURT

(a) Scheduling of Oral Argument. (1) Scheduling. If the appeal is set for oral argument, the Clerk of the Law Court shall advise all parties of the time and place at which oral argument will be heard. (2) Continuance. An application for continuance of oral argument must be made by motion filed reasonably in advance of the date fixed for hearing. When a request to continue an oral argument is granted, the Law Court shall have the option of considering the appeal on briefs without oral argument to avoid undue delay in consideration and resolution of the appeal. (b) Time Allowed for Argument. Each side will be allowed up to 15 minutes for argument. The appellant may reserve up to 3 minutes for rebuttal. On motion filed at least 7 days in advance of the date scheduled for oral argument and for good cause shown, the Law Court may allow additional time for argument. (c) Order and Content of Argument. The appellant is entitled to open and conclude the argument. (d) Cross‐Appeals and Separate Appeals. A cross-appeal or a separate appeal in the same case shall be argued with the initial appeal at a single hearing, unless the Law Court otherwise directs. If separate parties support the same argument, care shall be taken to avoid duplication of argument at the hearing. (e) Nonappearance at Argument. If an appellant fails to appear for oral argument, the Law Court may dismiss the appeal, or it may hear the argument on behalf of the appellee if present and decide the case on the briefs and the argument heard. If an appellee fails to appear at oral argument, the Law Court may hear argument on behalf of the appellant and decide the case 46 on the briefs and argument heard. If neither party appears, the case will be decided on the briefs unless the Law Court otherwise directs. (f) Use of Exhibits at Argument. (1) Disclosure. Any party planning to use any exhibit or display at oral argument shall notify the other parties to the oral argument and the Clerk of the Law Court of the planned use of the exhibit or display at least one business day prior to the time scheduled for oral argument. (2) Display. Any exhibit or display must be presented in a manner that permits it to be easily seen by each of the Justices without limiting observation of the Court by the public or opposing parties or counsel. (3) Removal. An exhibit or display shall be removed upon completion of the argument for which it is used unless the opposing party requests that the exhibit remain available for use in that party’s argument. (g) Submission on Briefs. (1) The Clerk of the Law Court will advise counsel or an unrepresented party when the Law Court has set a case for consideration on briefs without oral argument. Within 7 days after the Clerk has sent this notice of consideration of the case on briefs, a party may file a statement setting forth the reasons why oral argument should be entertained and requesting the same. (2) In an appeal scheduled for oral argument, on motion joined by all parties and for good cause shown, the Law Court may allow the parties to submit the appeal on the briefs without oral argument.