The courts
motion to dismiss
A request to end a case before any evidence is gathered, on the ground that the complaint fails as a matter of law even if every fact in it is true.
In full
The court accepts the complaint's allegations as true and asks whether they state a legal claim. Grounds include lack of jurisdiction, lack of standing, an expired statute of limitations, or simply that the conduct alleged is not unlawful. Dismissal may be with prejudice, ending the matter, or without, allowing a corrected complaint.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.