Legal Definitions - Movant

Definition: The party who makes a motion in a case is called the movant. For instance, if a plaintiff in a civil case requests summary judgment, the plaintiff is the movant.

Example: In a criminal case, the defendant may file a motion to suppress evidence obtained illegally. In this case, the defendant is the movant.

Explanation: The term "movant" refers to the party who initiates a motion in a legal case. The examples illustrate how different parties can be the movant depending on the type of motion filed. In the first example, the plaintiff is the movant because they filed a motion for summary judgment. In the second example, the defendant is the movant because they filed a motion to suppress evidence.