It’s “procedure” in this day and age, but still criminal. There is no concept of actual -justice- that says the defendant may not make certain arguments.
Limiting arguments one can make in their defense is a complete insult to the idea of justice.
You are on trial, and have what you believe is a compelling argument in your defense, but the courts says you may not make it? Such a concept would have horrified our founding fathers.
I’ve seen it abused horribly.
It’s “sister” is “motions for production”. This legal process is abused by idiot judges when, because of their personal bias, they make one side “produce” certain documents but not the other.
A good example is that I was “ordered” to turn over my 1040 in a divorce proceeding but the judge said my x did not have to do the same. I refused to do it. He found me in contempt and ordered me to jail for 3 days. I got out in a day and one half and appealed his order all the way to the Supreme Court (of Texas). They ruled totally in my favor (unanimous vote) and publicly issued a spanking to the judge in a writ of mandamus. Several of my attorneys, all with gray hair, said they had never seen anything like it.