What is a motion in limine?

A motion in limine is a type of legal motion filed in a court of law. This motion is filed before trial and may be used to request certain evidence be excluded during the trial. The motion is usually filed to protect the rights of either the defendant or the plaintiff. In Hawaii, a motion in limine serves the purpose of protecting the rights of either the defendant or plaintiff by allowing the court to make a decision about what evidence will be admissible or not prior to the trial. This protects one party from having prior evidence that could be damaging, prejudicial, or irrelevant presented during trial. The motion itself is usually made before trial and before any questioning of witnesses begins. The motion in limine can be used to seek exclusion of evidence from a hearing or trial, including witness testimony, evidence from a particular witness, or evidence from a particular source. By making the motion in limine, the party making the motion is arguing that the evidence should not be admitted into the trial. The court may grant the motion or deny it and decide the evidence is admissible. The motion in limine can help protect the rights of the plaintiff or the defendant, allowing the court to decide what evidence is relevant to the facts of the case and what evidence should not be admitted, thus avoiding potential bias during the trial.

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