A term used in California state-court litigation referring generally to pre-trial motion practice and to certain other matters, such as proceedings to enforce a judgment, attach property, or compel arbitration (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.1103(a)).

Some judges will, for example, direct parties to schedule oral argument on their "law and motion" calendar. Some courts also have a separate "law and motion" department consisting of a judge (or judges) who hear certain pre-trial motions but do not preside over trials (for example, CA R SAN FRANCISCO SUPER CT Rule 8.1).

The California Rules of Court specifically exclude from the definition of "law and motion" pre-trial applications for causes arising under the Welfare and Institutions Code, the Probate Code, the Family Code, or Code of Civil Procedure Sections 527.6, 527.7, 527.8, and 527.85 (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.1103(a)(1)).