At the request of a party the court may order witnesses excluded until the time of final argument, and it may make the order of its own motion. This rule does not authorize exclusion of:

1. (1) A party who is a natural person;
2. (2) An officer or employee of a party which is not a natural person designated as its representative by its attorney;
3. (3) A person whose presence is shown by a party to be essential to the presentation of the party’s cause; or
4. (4) The victim in a criminal case.

[1981 c.892 §56; 1987 c.2 §5; 2003 c.14 §20]