NH has some different rules for Criminal trial procedures including no Opening Statements (District Court) except with permission by the Court for good cause shown.
However, in Superior Court, the prosecution makes an Opening Statement but the Opening Statement is optional for the defense. And Opening Statements are limited to 30 minutes (each party allowed one hour for Closing Arguments). [Recently learned Opening Statements are also not permitted in CT (Jennifer Dulos) where they go straight to the first witness]!
Rule 23. Juror Notes and Written Questions
(a) Note-Taking by Jurors. It is within the court's discretion to permit jurors to take notes. If the court permits note-taking, after the opening statements the court will supply each juror with a pen and notebook to be kept in the juror's possession in the court and jury rooms, and to be collected and held by the bailiff during any recess in which the jurors may leave the courthouse and during arguments and charge. After a verdict, the court will immediately destroy all notes.
(b) Questioning of Witnesses by Jurors. With the consent of all parties, the trial judge may permit jurors to pose written questions. If a trial judge decides to permit jurors to pose written questions at trial, the court shall use the following procedure:
(1) At the start of the trial, the judge will announce to the jury and counsel the decision to allow jurors to pose written questions to witnesses. At this time the judge will instruct the jurors on taking notes and, as to the scope of questioning, the procedure to be followed.
PREAMBLE These rules are adopted by the Supreme Court of New Hampshire pursuant to the authority established in Part II, Article 73-A of the New Hampshire Constitution. They take effect on January 1, 2024 and apply to all criminal actions filed on or after that date. In exceptional...
www.courts.nh.gov