At a party's request, the court must order witnesses excluded so that they cannot hear other witnesses' testimony. Or the court may do so on its own. But this rule does not authorize excluding:

1. (a) A party who is a natural person;
2. (b) An officer or employee of a party that is not a natural person, after being designated as the party's representative by its attorney;
3. (c) A person whose presence a party shows to be essential to presenting the party's claim or defense;
4. (d) A person authorized by statute to be present; or
5. (e) A victim of a crime and his parent or guardian following the victim's testimony.

Source: SL 1979, ch 358 (Supreme Court Rule 78-2, Rule 615); SL 1986, ch 193 , § 4; SDCL § 19-14-29 ; SL 2016, ch 239 (Supreme Court Rule 15-48), eff. Jan. 1, 2016.