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.
A motion to strike is a request by one party in a United States trial requesting that the presiding judge order the removal of all or part of the opposing party's pleading to the court.
A “motion to dismiss” is typically filed in response to a complaint and is made in lieu of filing an “answer.” Technically, a plaintiff can move to “strike” a defense that a defendant has pled, given that defenses are subject to the same pleading requirements as are the plaintiff's claims.
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, ...
C.C.P. § 436 allows for a motion to strike “any irrelevant, false, or improper matter asserted in any pleading” or portion of a pleading “not drawn of filed in conformity with the laws of this state.” A motion to strike is proper “when a substantive defect is clear from the face of a complaint.” (PH II, Inc.
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 37-Failure to Make or Cooperate in Discovery: Sanctions. (a) Motion for Order Compelling Disclosure or Discovery. A party, upon reasonable notice to other parties and all persons affected thereby, may apply for an order compelling disclosure or discovery as follows: (1) Appropriate Court.
A motion to strike material from a complaint must be filed before filing an answer. FRCP 12(f). Therefore, unless otherwise ordered by the court, the motion must be filed by the defendant within 21 days after being served with a summons and complaint, or within 60 days if service of the complaint was timely waived.
Courts often read Rule 23 and Rule 12(f) together to conclude that the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure authorize early motions to strike class allegations. Rule 23(a) lays out the requirements for a plaintiff to certify a class: numerosity, adequacy, typicality, and commonality.