What might a judge do if critical facts are not addressed by lawyers?

If critical facts are not addressed by the lawyers during a trial, a judge may choose to interrogate witnesses for clarification. This action is taken to ensure that the court has a complete and accurate understanding of the case before making any decisions. The judge has a responsibility to ensure that justice is served, and sometimes this requires stepping in to gather necessary information directly from witnesses when the lawyers have not sufficiently addressed important points. The goal is to clarify ambiguities and ensure that the legal proceedings are based on full and accurate information, which is essential for a fair trial.

Other options such as requesting a mistrial, ordering a recess, or providing instructions to the jury, may not directly resolve the issue of unaddressed critical facts. While these actions are possible within the judicial process, they do not specifically target the need for clarification of facts from witnesses as a means to achieve clarity in the proceedings.