Rule 1 applies except as stated in Rule 81.

• A. Rule 12
• B. Rule 68
• C. Rule 23
• D. Rule 81

Answer: (D)

Procedural rules are set up with a general framework, but there are specific cross-references that carve out exceptions to that framework. The statement “Rule 1 applies except as stated in Rule 81” signals that Rule 81 is the source of the exceptions to Rule 1. In other words, Rule 81 overrides or modifies Rule 1 in certain situations, so the rule that provides the exceptions is Rule 81. The other rules don’t serve that role—they don’t establish the exceptions to Rule 1, so they don’t fit the sentence as naturally.