united-states federal-courts
What is a dispositive motion?
<p>Is a 'motion for judgment on the pleadings' a dispositive motion?  Yes, no, maybe, sometimes?</p>

<p>Yes. </p>

<p>A dispositive motion is a motion that can end the case. The most common are a motion to dismiss and a motion for summary judgment. A motion for judgment on the pleadings is like a motion to dismiss but usually for plaintiffs arguing that even if everything in the answer to the complaint is true, that the plaintiff still wins as a matter of law.</p>

<p>This tends to come up most often in limited jurisdiction courts with pro se parties who fill out and file their own answer on a court form, usually in response to a collection action or eviction, with stuff like "I can't afford to pay" or "my mother died and I need another few month since I used up my money for health care her final illness and for her funeral."</p>
