A motion in limine in California is a pretrial request made to the court to exclude certain evidence from being presented at trial. The purpose of this motion is to prevent potentially prejudicial or irrelevant evidence from being introduced in front of the jury, which could unfairly influence the outcome of the trial. Typically filed by one party before the trial begins, a motion in limine seeks to address specific issues, such as excluding certain witnesses, statements, or documents, that could be damaging to the fairness of the trial. These motions are often used to exclude evidence based on legal objections like hearsay, lack of foundation, or relevance, and they are designed to streamline the trial process by resolving evidentiary issues in advance.
In California, motions in limine allow the judge to rule on the admissibility of evidence before it is presented. The court has discretion in granting or denying such motions, and a ruling in favor of the motion can prevent certain evidence from being mentioned or introduced during the trial. While motions in limine are generally made before the trial starts, they can also be raised during the trial if new issues arise. Typically, these motions are heard outside the jury’s presence, and the judge’s rulings are often made in writing or after brief oral arguments. A party may also seek a ruling on the motion before the jury is empaneled, allowing the trial to proceed without interruption on evidentiary issues.
