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 Minnesota, a motion in limine is a pretrial request made to the court to rule on the admissibility of certain evidence before it is presented during the trial. This motion is used to prevent the introduction of evidence or mention of matters that may be prejudicial to the jury, ensuring that the jury is not exposed to potentially inadmissible and harmful information. When a motion in limine is filed, the party seeking to introduce the evidence in question must first approach the bench and obtain the court's permission before presenting it to the jury. The goal is to avoid any undue influence on the jury's decision-making process by excluding evidence that is irrelevant, inadmissible, or could unfairly sway the jury. The use of motions in limine is governed by Minnesota's rules of evidence and civil procedure, and the decisions on these motions are at the discretion of the presiding judge.