Robert Kardashian served on the defense team as a close friend of O.J. Simpson, a personal connection that placed him at the intersection of loyalty and legal strategy throughout the criminal trial. His courtroom involvement included being present during key witness examinations such as the cross-examination of Rosa Lopez, and his own testimony was addressed through a stipulation rather than live examination — a procedural move that allowed the defense to enter his account into the record without subjecting him to cross-examination.