What is a dispositive motion?

A dispositive motion is primarily concerned with resolving a portion of a case, typically leading to a judgment on some or all of the issues presented. When a party files such a motion, they are requesting the court to make a ruling that effectively disposes of the legal claims or issues at stake, without the need for a full trial. This might occur in various contexts, such as a motion for summary judgment, where one party argues that there are no genuine disputes of material fact and that they should prevail based on the law.

In contrast, a request to extend the trial date does not address the legal merits of the case itself but rather affects the schedule of the proceedings. A motion to introduce new evidence focuses on the inclusion of additional information post-filing and does not seek to dispose of the case itself. Similarly, a motion to challenge the validity of a law involves a different legal inquiry that does not necessarily lead to a case's resolution. Therefore, the definition of a dispositive motion aligns closely with the request for a court ruling that can dispose of part of the case, making it the correct choice.