What is a motion to reopen a case?
Asked by: Breana Walker | Last update: February 17, 2026Score: 4.5/5 (19 votes)
A motion to reopen a case is a formal request to a court or administrative body (like immigration or bankruptcy court) to reconsider a final decision, usually based on newly discovered evidence or changed circumstances that weren't available earlier, requiring strong supporting documents like affidavits, medical records, or new facts, and following specific procedural rules, fees, and deadlines to present a compelling case for a new hearing.
How does a motion to reopen work?
A motion to reopen asks the Immigration Court to reopen proceedings after the immigration judge has rendered a decision, so that the Immigration Judge can consider new facts or evidence in the case.
What does reopening a case mean?
Reopening refers to the process of revisiting a previously closed legal matter, such as a hearing request or a hearing record. A claimant may request to reopen a hearing if they did not appear or if they withdrew their request. If the request is approved, the hearing will be rescheduled.
What evidence is needed to reopen a case?
A motion to reopen must state new facts and be supported by documentary evidence. Resubmitting previously provided evidence or reasserting previously stated facts will not meet the requirements of a motion to reopen.
What does it take to reopen a case?
Civil cases
To reopen a case based on new evidence, three key steps must be taken: File a motion with the court. Your attorney prepares a formal request explaining why reopening the case is necessary for justice to be served. Show you acted diligently.
Why Motions to Reopen Are Not Good? — And What to Do Instead
What happens if a motion to reopen is denied?
(a) You may appeal the decision denying a motion to reopen to the authority head by filing a notice of appeal with the authority head within 15 days after the ALJ denies the motion. The timely filing of a notice of appeal must stay the initial decision until the authority head decides the issue.
What is the time limit for motion to reopen?
§§ 1003.2(c)(1), 1003.23(b)(3); Joint motions to reopen: Statutory one-motion/90-day limits in INA § 240(c)(7)(A), (C) are relaxed where DHS joins the motion; regulations recognize exceptions to time/number limits for joint motions. 8 C.F.R.
How to write a motion to reopen a case?
A motion to reopen “shall state the new facts that will be proven at a hearing to be held if the motion is granted and shall be supported by affidavits and other evidentiary material.” 8 U.S.C. § 1229a(c)(7)(B). It must be accompanied by the application for relief and all supporting documents.
What is the procedure to reopen the case?
Reopening in Civil Cases
- Review Petition (Order 47 CPC) Filed in the same court that decided the matter if: There is a discovery of new and important matter or evidence. ...
- Appeal or Second Appeal. If the original decision was made in error, parties can approach an appellate court.
- Revision (Section 115 CPC)
On what two grounds can a case be appealed?
A case can generally be appealed on grounds of legal error, where the judge applied the wrong law, or improper factual findings, meaning the judge or jury reached a conclusion unreasonable based on the evidence, with other common reasons including prosecutorial misconduct, ineffective counsel, or due process violations, all requiring the error to have affected the outcome.
What is the hardest case to win in court?
The hardest cases to win in court often involve high emotional stakes, like crimes against children or sexual assault, where jurors struggle with bias; complex, voluminous evidence, such as white-collar fraud; and defenses that challenge societal norms, like an insanity plea, which faces high scrutiny and conflicting expert testimony. Cases with weak physical evidence, uncooperative witnesses (like in sex crimes), or those involving unpopular defendants (e.g., child abusers) are particularly challenging for defense attorneys.
Can a case be reopened after it was dismissed?
If a court case is dismissed, it may be reopened if the dismissal was without prejudice or if there are legal grounds to challenge the dismissal. Common reasons for reopening include discovering new evidence, procedural mistakes, or violations of due process.
Can you ask for a case to be reopened?
You can ask the court to reopen your case if: you (or your legal adviser) did not have the opportunity to write or speak to the court about your case. the court did not receive documents to support your case.
How much is a motion to reopen?
For example, the fee for an appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) is now $1,010 (up from $110), while a motion to reconsider or reopen before the BIA or Immigration Judge (IJ) is now $1,045 (up from $145).
What happens if someone doesn't respond to a motion?
If someone doesn't respond to a court motion, the court will likely grant the motion in favor of the party who filed it, as the lack of opposition is treated as agreement, potentially leading to a default ruling, dismissal of claims, or even monetary penalties, depending on the motion and jurisdiction. The non-responding party essentially loses their chance to dispute the request, and severe consequences, like contempt, can follow if it's a deliberate refusal.
What is the success rate of motions to reconsider?
There's no single success rate for motions to reconsider, as it varies widely by jurisdiction, court, and case type, but generally, they have a low to moderate chance, often below 20% for appeals (like 10-15% for SSDI) but sometimes higher (25-35%) for specific immigration motions where new evidence addresses the exact denial reason, with success depending heavily on showing clear error, new facts, or changes in law, not just disagreement.
Why would they reopen a case?
A case gets reopened due to compelling reasons like the discovery of significant new evidence, major procedural errors, proven fraud or misconduct, or a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, all aiming to prevent a manifest injustice or correct a significant flaw that impacted the original outcome. Judges have discretion to reopen cases to allow crucial new information or testimony to be heard, even after closing arguments or jury deliberation, to ensure fairness.
Is it hard to reopen a case?
Courts are generally reluctant to reopen old cases unless there's a compelling reason, such as newly discovered evidence that could not have been found earlier with reasonable effort. Timing, legal procedures, and the specific facts of your case will all play a role in determining if the court will even consider it.
What does "reopen case" mean?
Unlike an appeal, a motion to reconsider or reopen a case does not send the case to a higher legal authority, but requests that the original authority take a second look at the case. While motions to reconsider may sound similar to motions to reopen, the two are actually very different.
What must you say to make a motion?
Motion: To introduce a new piece of business or propose a decision or action, a motion must be made by a group member ("I move that......") A second motion must then also be made (raise your hand and say, "I second it.") After limited discussion the group then votes on the motion.
Can a case be opened again?
Under Section 142 of the Magistrates Court Act 1980, magistrates have the authority to get your case reopened in order to rectify an error. This might be used if you have missed a stage in the case proceedings, or if you have been found guilty and convicted in your absence.
Where to file motion to reopen?
- United States Department of Justice.
- Executive Office for Immigration Review.
- Immigration Court.
- ORDER OF THE IMMIGRATION JUDGE.
How to get a case reopened?
The process for reopening a case involves several steps, which typically start with filing a motion or petition in the court that issued the original judgment. This motion must clearly outline the basis for the request, supported by credible evidence or arguments justifying why the case should be revisited.
How to write a letter to a judge to reopen a case?
Write your Motion to Reopen
The Motion to Reopen is your written brief explaining why your situation justifies allowing new evidence into your old case and why the judge should look at your case again. It must state new facts that you will prove at a hearing if the motion is granted.
What happens after a motion to reconsider?
A motion to reconsider is a formal request made to a court or decision-making body to review and change a previous ruling or decision. This type of motion is typically filed after a decision has been made and is often seen as a step before an appeal.