Purpose of Pretrial Motions
The purpose of pretrial motions is to help shape the trial that is going to occur. They are used to get certain evidence in or keep certain evidence out. Sometimes they even force the claimant’s opponent to bring in evidence at times when they do not want to bring it in. This can affect what is said in opening statements because the evidence has not come in yet.
The pretrial orders can be very strategic. In many cases, the pretrial process is fairly standard. However, when dealing with something out of the ordinary, such as 18-wheeler wrecks, there is much more evidence that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Act says that both the trucking companies have to have and keep. In this situation, there are many more issues that come into play. This can affect opening statements and even the order of proof that is brought in.