pretrial motion

A pretrial motion is a formal request made by one of the parties involved in a criminal or civil case before the trial begins. These motions aim to resolve specific legal issues, such as dismissing the case, suppressing evidence, or determining whether certain evidence is admissible. The court reviews these motions to decide whether to grant or deny the requests, helping to shape the course of the trial or even resolve some issues without going to trial. Essentially, pretrial motions are legal tools used to clarify and streamline the judicial process early on.