A motion to strike is a legal request made to a court to remove certain parts of the opposing party's pleadings. This can include irrelevant, redundant, or legally insufficient material from a complaint, answer, or other legal documents.
Pleadings do not ask the judge to make decisions. Motions, on the other hand, ask judges to make decisions. Motions are mostly written but can be oral requests that can be presented only after the complaint has been filed.
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, ...
(f) Motion to strike. Upon motion made by a party within 30 days after the service of the pleading upon him, or upon the court's own initiative at any time, the court may order stricken from any pleading any insufficient defense or any redundant, immaterial, impertinent, or scandalous matter.
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.
General format - each motion generally consists of a case caption, a title that briefly identifies the relief sought, a series of numbered paragraphs that explains -- in a logical way -- why you are entitled to that relief, a prayer for relief, a signature block, a certification that a copy of the motion was sent to ...
Steps Check if the court has blank motion forms. Some courts have "check the boxes" or "fill in the blank" motion forms. Create your caption. Title your motion. Draft the introductory paragraph to the body of the motion. Request relief. Lay out the applicable facts. Make your legal argument. Insert a signature block.
If a motion to strike a complaint or cross-complaint, or portion thereof, is denied, the court shall allow the party filing the motion to strike to file an answer.