Motion in limine - wikipedia Motion in limine In U.S. law, a motion in limine ( Latin : `` at the start '', literally, `` on the threshold '' ) ( Latin pronunciation : ( ɪn ˈliːmɪˌne ) in LEE - min - ay ) is a motion, discussed outside the presence of the jury, to request that certain testimony be excluded. The motion is decided by a judge in both civil and criminal proceedings. It is frequently used at pre-trial hearings or during trial, and it can be used at both the state and federal levels. The reasons for the motions are wide and varied, but probably the most frequent use of the motion in limine in a criminal trial is to shield the jury from information concerning the defendant that could possibly be unfairly prejudicial to the defendant if heard at trial. Other reasons arise under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure for failure to comply with discovery. Black 's Law Dictionary ( 8th ed. 2004 ) defines `` motion in limine '' as `` a pretrial request that certain inadmissible evidence not be referred to or offered at trial. '' A motion in limine can be used to get a ruling to allow for the inclusion of evidence, not only to get a ruling as to whether or not evidence will be precluded from trial. They are made `` preliminary '', and it is presented for consideration of the judge ( or arbitrator or hearing officer ) to be decided without the merits being reached first. Example Examples of motions in limine would be that the attorney for the defendant may ask the judge to refuse to admit into evidence any personal information, or medical, criminal or financial records, using the legal grounds that these records are irrelevant, immaterial, unreliable, or unduly prejudicial, and / or that their probative value is outweighed by the prejudicial result to the defendant, or that the admittance of such information or evidence would otherwise violate one of the court 's rules of evidence. A party proffering certain evidence can also ask for the admission of certain information or evidence via a motion in limine. If the motion in limine to exclude evidence is granted, then the excluded records are prohibited from being presented without specific approval from the judge at the time the party wants to offer the evidence. A reference to such `` highly prejudicial '' evidence contrary to the tribunal 's order is a ground for a mistrial. Governing laws Most motions in limine in federal courts are governed by the Federal Rules of Evidence. Some others arise under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure for failure to comply with discovery. References Jump up ^ Staff, LII ( 30 November 2011 ). `` Federal Rules of Evidence ''. LII / Legal Information Institute. ^ Jump up to : `` Federal Rules Of Evidence ( 2015 ) - Federal Evidence Review ''. federalevidence.com. ^ Jump up to : Staff, LII ( 30 November 2011 ). `` Federal Rules of Civil Procedure ''. LII / Legal Information Institute. Jump up ^ `` motion in limine ''. ^ Jump up to : Garner, Brian A., ed. ( 1999 ). `` in limine ''. Black 's Law Dictionary ( 7th ed. ). St. Paul, Minnesota : West Group. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Motion_in_limine&oldid=816175321 '' Categories : Latin legal terminology Legal motions Evidence law Talk About Wikipedia Deutsch Slovenčina Slovenščina Edit links This page was last edited on 19 December 2017, at 19 : 31. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: when does the court hear motions in limine
Answer: outside the presence of the jury