a Obligation to confer. The parties must consult in good faith to identify any disputed evidentiary issue that they anticipate will be the subject of a motion in limine.
Rule 7.2.Motions in limine.
Last amended January 1, 2025 · Last verified July 1, 2026
In one sentenceRule 7.2 requires parties to confer about anticipated evidentiary disputes before trial, sets a 30-day deadline for filing any motion in limine, bars replies in support of one, and requires the court to rule before trial unless it defers the issue to the trial itself.
Full Text of Rule 7.2
b Deadline for filing. Unless a different schedule is ordered by the court, the parties must file all motions in limine for which pretrial rulings are desired no later than 30 days before either a Trial Management Conference or, if no Trial Management Conference is set, the date of the trial.
d No replies permitted. The moving party may not file a reply in support of its motion in limine.
e Pretrial rulings. All motions in limine submitted in accordance with Rule 7.2 (b) must be ruled on before trial unless the court determines the particular issue of admissibility is better considered at trial. The court’s denial of a motion in limine preserves the moving party’s objection to the evidence for purposes of appeal.
f Effect of noncompliance. Motions in limine not filed in accordance with Rule 7.2 will not be ruled on before trial unless good cause is shown. The failure to file a motion in limine in compliance with this rule does not operate as a waiver of the right to object to evidence at trial.
Amendment History
Promulgated by R-16-0010, effective January 1, 2017; amended August 22, 2024, by R-23-0045, effective January 1, 2025.
Plain-English Summary
Before trial, the parties must talk through which evidentiary disputes are likely to come up and are worth resolving by a written motion. Any motion in limine seeking a pretrial ruling must be filed at least 30 days before a trial management conference, or before trial itself if no such conference is set, and it must come with a good faith consultation certificate confirming the parties tried to work out the dispute first.
The moving party does not get a reply in support of its own motion in limine, and the court is expected to rule on every properly filed motion before trial unless it decides the evidentiary issue is better resolved once the trial is underway. A motion filed after the 30-day deadline will not be ruled on before trial unless the moving party shows good cause for the delay — but missing that deadline does not waive the underlying right to object to the evidence when it comes up at trial.
Frequently Asked Questions
When must a motion in limine be filed?
At least 30 days before a trial management conference, or before trial if no such conference is scheduled.
Can the party who filed a motion in limine also file a reply?
No, replies in support of a motion in limine are not permitted.
Does losing a motion in limine forfeit the right to object at trial?
No, a denial preserves the objection for appeal, and even a late motion does not waive the right to object when the evidence is offered at trial.
What happens if a party misses the 30-day filing deadline?
The court will not rule on the motion before trial unless the party shows good cause for filing late.
Source & verification. The rule text and History are reproduced verbatim from the
official Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure (Ariz. R. Civ. P. 7.2). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Arizona (Ariz. Const. art. 6, § 5). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 1, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: motion in limineevidentiary motionspretrial rulings on evidence