(a) The final hearing of all cases shall be informal, the object being to dispense justice promptly and economically. The Judicial Officer shall ensure that evidence shall be offered and questioning shall be conducted in an orderly and expeditious manner and according to basic notions of fairness. Those basic notions of fairness illustrated by the Colorado Rules of Evidence shall serve as a guide to the Judicial Officer and parties, but those rules shall not be strictly applied. The Judicial Officer may call and question any witness consistent with the Judicial Officer's obligation to be an impartial fact finder favoring neither party.(b) The order of proceedings at the hearing shall be as follows: (1) Before commencement of the hearing, the Judicial Officer shall briefly describe and explain the purposes and procedures of the hearing.(2) The Officer shall offer sworn testimony and evidence to the facts concerning the alleged infraction. After such testimony, the defendant or counsel may cross-examine the Officer, and the Judicial Officer may also question the Officer.(3) Thereafter, the defendant may offer sworn testimony and evidence and shall answer questions, if such testimony is offered, as may be asked by the Judicial Officer. The defendant is not required to testify and the fact that the defendant does not testify may not be considered or used in any way by the Judicial Officer.(4) If the testimony of additional witnesses is offered, the order of testimony and the extent of questioning shall be within the discretion of the Judicial Officer. No Officer or other testifying witness, with the exception of the defendant, may question any other witness.(5) Upon the conclusion of such testimony and examination, the Judicial Officer may further examine or allow examination and rebuttal testimony and evidence as deemed appropriate.(6) At the conclusion of all testimony and examination, the defendant or counsel shall be permitted to make a closing argument.Adopted April 7, 2022, effective 4/7/2022.