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Civil procedure

motion in limine

Motion in limine is the name commonly given a pretrial motion that attempts to prevent the offer of, or reference to, specific evidence or other matters in the presence of the jury. A motion in limine is designed to require a party offering evidence to approach the bench and inquire into the admissibility of the evidence at issue before introducing that evidence to the jury. The purpose of the motion in limine is to prevent the other party from asking prejudicial questions or introducing prejudicial evidence in front of the jury without first asking the trial court’s permission.

In Illinois, a motion in limine is a pretrial request submitted to the court to prohibit the opposing party from mentioning or presenting certain evidence to the jury that is deemed prejudicial. The goal of this motion is to avoid potential prejudice by having the court rule on the admissibility of the evidence before it is presented in front of the jury. This ensures that jurors are not exposed to evidence that may influence their decision-making inappropriately. The motion in limine is particularly useful for addressing issues of evidence that might be highly prejudicial if mentioned, even if later ruled inadmissible. Illinois courts have the discretion to grant or deny these motions, and their decisions are typically guided by considerations of fairness and the potential for prejudice versus the probative value of the evidence in question.

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Civil procedure

motion in limine

Individual & Family Legal Plan

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Illinois State Code

Illinois State Code

Civil procedure

motion in limine

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