What is a motion in limine?

A motion in limine is a request made by one party in a court case to the judge that certain evidence not be considered or discussed in the court proceedings. This motion is usually made before a trial begins to help prevent any prejudice or distractions that could be caused by the evidence. In Louisiana, there are four distinct categories for motions in limine: evidentiary claims, underlying facts or evidence to be excluded, ideas or theories to be excluded, and expert opinion or testimony to be excluded. Evidentiary claims refer to actual physical evidence that may be considered at trial. This type of motion is typically used to exclude certain items such as photographs, recordings, or other items that could be prejudicial to the case. Underlying facts or evidence to be excluded refer to those items that are not necessarily physical evidence. These can include prior convictions, certain statements made by a witness prior to the trial, or any other items that may cause distraction or confusion in a courtroom. Ideas or theories to be excluded typically refer to attempts by opposing counsel to introduce theories or opinions on a case that are not supported by the evidence. These can be used to try and prejudice the jury in favor of one side or the other. Finally, expert opinion or testimony to be excluded are requests to exclude particular expert opinions or testimony that would normally be allowed in the court. This type of motion in limine is often used to prevent a jury from being swayed by an expert’s opinion. In conclusion, a motion in limine is a request made by a party in a court case to the judge to prevent certain evidence or testimony from being considered or discussed within the court proceedings. Louisiana has four distinct categories of motions in limine which include evidentiary claims, underlying facts or evidence to be excluded, ideas or theories to be excluded, and expert opinion or testimony to be excluded.

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