Motion To Strike And Demurrer In Cook
Description
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FAQ
A demurrer is a pleading in a lawsuit that objects to or challenges a pleading filed by an opposing party. The word demur means "to object"; a demurrer is the document that makes the objection. Lawyers informally define a demurrer as a defendant saying "So what?" to the pleading.
PRACTICE TIP: Courts consider striking a party's pleading to be an extreme measure, and motions to strike are viewed with disfavor and infrequently granted. POL. Many courts consider filing this motion as a dilatory tactic.
Demur (or demurrer) refers to making a pleading that challenges the sufficiency or adequacy of pleadings of another party. Demurrers typically come in two forms: general and specific. A general demurrer challenges a broader problem with a pleading that affects all of the claims brought, such as improper venue.
A Motion to Strike is used to challenge improper or irrelevant information, or complaints not made in conformity with laws, rules, or court orders. Additionally, a Demurrer is used only to attack entire causes of action, while a Motion to Strike can be used to attack portions of a cause of action.
In ruling on a demurrer, a court accepts the factual assertions of the moving party as true. A demurrer does not challenge the truthfulness of facts in a pleading. If a demurrer is granted by the court, the case may be dismissed or the moving party may be given time to amend the pleading depending on the circumstances.
A. Demurrer to Complaint or Cross-Complaint The court has no jurisdiction of the subject matter of the cause of action alleged in the pleading. The pleading does not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. The person who filed the pleading has no legal capacity to sue.
A motion to strike is similar to a demurrer, but it relates to only specific parts of a complaint. In a motion to strike a defendant might seek to strike all requests for punitive damages, or for attorney fees, if there is a legal argument that the plaintiff is not entitled to those forms of relief.
What happens next? If we filed the motion to strike in a trial court, then we will set the motion to be heard by a judge or magistrate, and be ruled upon. If we filed it in an appeals court, the appeals court will read the motion and offending document and will rule on it without hearing.
A notice of motion to strike must be given within the time allowed to plead, and if a demurrer is interposed, concurrently therewith, and must be noticed for hearing and heard at the same time as the demurrer.
A plaintiff may demur to an answer or any of the following three grounds: (a) the answer fails to state facts sufficient to constitute a defense; (b) the answer is uncertain; and (c) where the answer pleads a contract, it cannot be ascertained whether the contract is oral or written. CCP $430.20.
