Legal Definitions - limine

The term "limine" is almost always encountered in the legal phrase in limine, which is Latin for "at the threshold" or "at the outset."

A motionin limine is a request made to a court, typically before a trial begins or before certain evidence is presented during a trial, asking the judge to rule on the admissibility of evidence or other procedural matters. The primary purpose of such a motion is to prevent potentially prejudicial, irrelevant, or otherwise inadmissible evidence from being mentioned or shown to the jury. By addressing these issues "at the threshold," the court can make a decision without the jury ever hearing the contested information, thus avoiding the need for a mistrial or a difficult instruction to "disregard" something they've already heard.

Here are some examples:

• Example 1: Personal Injury Case

  In a lawsuit where a pedestrian is suing a driver for injuries sustained in a car accident, the driver's attorney might file a motion in limine to prevent the pedestrian's medical records from a decade ago, which show a minor, unrelated injury, from being introduced as evidence. The driver's attorney would argue that these old records are irrelevant to the current injuries and could unfairly prejudice the jury by suggesting a pattern of injury or a pre-existing condition that isn't applicable.

  This illustrates the term because the motion is made "at the threshold" of the trial to exclude evidence that, if heard by the jury, could be misleading or prejudicial, even if the judge later instructs them to disregard it.

• Example 2: Criminal Trial

  During a criminal trial for assault, the prosecution plans to introduce a witness's prior statement to the police that contradicts their current testimony. The defense attorney might file a motion in limine to exclude this prior statement, arguing that it was obtained under duress and is therefore unreliable and inadmissible. The defense wants the judge to rule on its admissibility before the jury hears about it.

  This demonstrates the term as the motion seeks a ruling on the admissibility of evidence "at the outset" to prevent potentially unreliable or improperly obtained information from influencing the jury's perception of the witness's credibility.

• Example 3: Contract Dispute

  In a dispute between two companies over a breach of contract, one company's attorney might file a motion in limine to prevent the opposing side from mentioning any details of previous settlement negotiations that failed. Rules of evidence often make such settlement discussions inadmissible to encourage parties to attempt to resolve disputes without fear that their offers or concessions will be used against them in court.

  This exemplifies the term because the motion is made "at the threshold" to ensure that privileged or statutorily protected communications, like settlement talks, are not disclosed to the jury, thereby upholding legal principles designed to facilitate out-of-court resolutions.