Whenever he brings proof, he can overturn the verdict. [If] they said to him: Produce any proofs you have within thirty days —- [if] he finds [evidence] within thirty days he can overturn [the verdict]; after thirty days he cannot overturn [it]. Said Rab-ban Shimon ben Gamliel: What should this [man] do if he could not find [evidence] within thirty days, but found after thirty [days]? [If] they said to him: Bring witnesses, and he said: I have no witnesses; [or] they said: Bring evi- dence, and he said: I have no evidence; and subsequently he brought evidence or witnesses, it is nothing. Said Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel: What should this [man] do if he did not know [at the time] that he had witnesses and he [later] discovered witnesses; [or] if he did not know [at the time] that he had evidence and he [later] discovered evidence? [If] they said to him: Bring witnesses, and he said: I have no witnesses; Bring proof, and he said: I have no proof; and [when] he saw that he was about to be judged liable he said, “Let so-and-so and so-and-so approach and testify for me,” or he took out evidence from his belt, it is nothing.

Both civil cases and capital cases require inquiry and examination, as it is stated: One judgment you shall have for yourselves. What is the difference between civil cases and capital cases? Civil cases are [tried] by three; capital cases by twenty-three. Civil cases open [with the consideration] of either acquittal or liability; capital cases must open [with the consideration] of acquittal, not guilt. Civil cases are decided by a majority of one, whether for acquittal or liability; capital cases are decided by a majority of one for acquittal but by a majority of two for guilt. Civil decisions may be reversed in favor of acquittal or liabil-ity; capital decisions may be reversed [only] in favor of acquittal but not in favor of guilt. [In] civil cases, anyone may argue either for acquittal or liability; [in] capital cases, anyone may argue for acquittal but not everyone may argue for guilt. [In] civil cases, one who argued for acquittal may argue for liability, and one who argued for liability may argue for acquittal; [in] capital cases, one who argued for guilt may argue for acquittal, but one who argued for acquittal may not argue for guilt. Civil cases are tried by day and may be concluded by night; capital cases must be tried by day and concluded by day. Civil cases may be concluded on that day, whether for acquittal or liability; capital cases may be concluded on that day for acquittal but only on the following day for guilt. Therefore, trials are not held on Friday or on the day before a Festival.