What is the process of excluding certain evidence from being presented in court called?

The process of excluding certain evidence from being presented in court is referred to as suppression. Suppression is a legal mechanism that allows a party, typically the defense, to challenge the admissibility of evidence based on a violation of the defendant's rights or procedural errors. If the court finds that the evidence was obtained inappropriately—such as through an unlawful search and seizure—it may suppress that evidence, meaning it cannot be used in the trial. This is crucial for ensuring fair trials and protecting individuals from unfair prosecution based on illegally obtained information.

While dismissal refers to the termination of a case or specific charges before it reaches trial or during the trial, exclusion can refer to the general act of preventing evidence from being presented but does not carry the specific legal connotations that suppression does. Withdrawal is more commonly associated with retracting a legal document or motion and does not specifically address the exclusion of evidence.