Article 173. Judicial pleadings

After examination of all available evidence, the judge presiding at the court session shall ask the persons participating in the case, whether they have additional evidence on the case. In the absence of additional evidence, the court shall pass over to judicial pleadings.

Judicial pleadings shall consist of oral presentations of the persons participating in the case. In the course of judicial pleadings they shall substantiate their positions on the case.

In the judicial pleadings, the first presentation shall be made by the plaintiff, the next one — by the third party with independent claim regarding the subject matter of the dispute, and then — the respondent. A third party without independent claim regarding the subject matter of the dispute shall make his presentation after the plaintiff or after the respondent on whose side he participates in the case.

The public prosecutor and also representatives of state bodies and other persons who have applied to the court in defense of the rights and legally protected interests of other persons shall speak in the judicial pleadings first.

The participants in the judicial pleadings are not entitled to refer to circumstances that have not been clarified by the court, and to evidence that has not been examined in the court session or has been recognized by the court as inadmissible.

In the judicial pleadings, the public prosecutor participating in the case shall present his opinion on the merits of the dispute the last, except for the cases provided for in part four of this article.