Which term refers to a request to prohibit use of certain evidence at trial?

Which term refers to a request to prohibit use of certain evidence at trial?

• A. Motion in limine
• B. Motion to suppress
• C. Motion for mistrial
• D. Motion to dismiss

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is pretrial control over what evidence can be shown to the jury. A motion in limine is a request for the court to rule in advance on whether specific items of evidence may be admitted at trial. This allows the parties to exclude inflammatory, irrelevant, or prejudicial material before it ever reaches the jury, helping to keep the trial orderly and focused. This differs from a motion to suppress, which deals with whether evidence was obtained illegally and thus should be excluded on constitutional or specific evidentiary grounds, often addressed in a suppression hearing. The other two motions serve different purposes: a mistrial motion seeks to end the trial due to a fundamental error or prejudice, and a dismissal motion seeks to terminate the case for procedural or substantive reasons.

The main idea here is pretrial control over what evidence can be shown to the jury. A motion in limine is a request for the court to rule in advance on whether specific items of evidence may be admitted at trial. This allows the parties to exclude inflammatory, irrelevant, or prejudicial material before it ever reaches the jury, helping to keep the trial orderly and focused.

This differs from a motion to suppress, which deals with whether evidence was obtained illegally and thus should be excluded on constitutional or specific evidentiary grounds, often addressed in a suppression hearing. The other two motions serve different purposes: a mistrial motion seeks to end the trial due to a fundamental error or prejudice, and a dismissal motion seeks to terminate the case for procedural or substantive reasons.