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 West Virginia, 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. The goal of this motion is to prevent potentially prejudicial evidence from being introduced in front of the jury without the judge's approval. This helps to ensure that the jury is not exposed to evidence that may be inadmissible or could unfairly sway their opinion. When a motion in limine is filed, the judge will consider the arguments from both parties and decide whether the evidence in question should be excluded or restricted during the trial. The use of motions in limine is a common practice in West Virginia courts and is governed by the West Virginia Rules of Evidence and relevant case law. Attorneys often use these motions as a strategic tool to shape the scope of the evidence that will be considered by the jury.