opening statement

An attorney’s opening statement to the jury (or judge in a bench trial) is not evidence, and is intended to be a forceful and persuasive summary of the case.

In Georgia, as in other jurisdictions, an attorney's opening statement to the jury, or to the judge in a bench trial, is not considered evidence. It is intended to provide a roadmap of what the attorney believes the evidence will show during the trial. The purpose of the opening statement is to give the jury or judge a general overview of the facts of the case and the legal claims being made, as well as to outline the evidence that will be presented to support those claims. It is an opportunity for the attorney to frame the narrative and set the tone for their case. However, it is important for jurors and judges to understand that the statements made during these openings are not themselves evidence and should not be treated as such. They are merely arguments or assertions that will need to be proven through the presentation of actual evidence during the course of the trial.

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Civil procedure