What is the process by which the defense attorney seeks to exclude evidence from trial?

• A. A motion in limine
• B. A motion for mistrial
• C. A motion to adjourn
• D. A motion to suppress

Answer: (D)

The key idea is that a defense attorney uses a motion to suppress to bar evidence from being used at trial because it was obtained in violation of the defendant’s rights. This motion is the main vehicle for challenging the admissibility of evidence on constitutional grounds—like an illegal search and seizure, coerced statements, or violations of Miranda—so the judge can decide before or during trial whether the evidence must be excluded. When a court grants the motion, the evidence cannot be used at trial, which can materially affect the prosecution’s case.

In contrast, a mistrial motion seeks to end the current trial due to fundamental errors or prejudice, and an adjournment motion asks to delay proceedings. A motion in limine is a pretrial request to keep certain evidence or testimony out of the trial for strategic reasons, but the specific mechanism focused on suppressing unlawfully obtained evidence—so it isn’t admissible at all—is best described by a motion to suppress.