Pleadings and Motions
Procedural Motions
A motion in limine seeks a pretrial ruling admitting or excluding evidence. Its purpose is to prevent the jury from being exposed to prejudicial material that an objection at trial could not fully cure.
Rulings may be definitive or provisional, and a provisional ruling generally must be renewed by objection at trial to preserve the issue for appeal.
Alternative Names:
MIL, Limine Motion
Why it Matters?
Limine practice frequently determines the shape of a trial more than any single witness. In defense practice the recurring targets are subsequent remedial measures, other similar incidents, insurance references, safety-rule and send-a-message arguments, and specific damages figures where the jurisdiction restricts them. Filing early enough for a ruling before opening statements is what makes the relief meaningful.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Does a limine ruling preserve the issue for appeal?
What are the most common defense limine motions?
