A motion to dismiss asks the court to dismiss either whole or part of a complaint, counterclaim, or crossclaim. Motion to strike or "Demurrer": In some jurisdictions, a motion to strike or a "demurrer" is the equivalent to a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.
Attorneys, however, often use “motion to strike” as shorthand for “I am marking the transcript and preserving my objection, and intend to move the court after this deposition that your answer continues not to respond to the questions I am asking.” See Court Opinions.
The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure states that "The court may strike from a pleading an insufficient defense or any redundant, immaterial, impertinent, or scandalous matter." Similarly, for example, the California Code of Civil Procedure provides that a motion to strike may be made to strike out any "irrelevant, ...
Motion to strike, dismiss or amplify. (a) A party deeming a pleading insufficient in form may file with the Commission a motion to strike. A party deeming a pleading insufficient in substance, or desiring to question the jurisdiction of the Commission, may file with the Commission a motion to dismiss.
The primary purpose of a motion to strike is to clean up the pleadings by eliminating irrelevant, redundant, or legally insufficient parts. This helps in focusing the litigation on the substantive issues, thereby streamlining the legal process.
Rule 1028 - Preliminary Objections (a) Preliminary objections may be filed by any party to any pleading and are limited to the following grounds: (1) lack of jurisdiction over the subject matter of the action or the person of the defendant, improper venue or improper form or service of a writ of summons or a complaint; ...