What does a "motion to suppress" seek to achieve in a Texas criminal trial?

A "motion to suppress" is a legal request made by a defendant in a criminal trial to prevent certain evidence from being used against them in court. This motion specifically targets evidence that has been obtained in violation of the defendant's constitutional rights, such as rights outlined in the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures.

In Texas, if the evidence was obtained in a manner that infringes on a defendant's rights—such as through an illegal search, without a warrant, or without probable cause—the defense can argue that this evidence should be excluded from the trial. The rationale is that allowing such evidence to be presented would undermine the integrity of the judicial process and could result in wrongful convictions.

The other options presented do not accurately represent the purpose of a motion to suppress:

• Introducing new evidence is not the aim of a motion to suppress, as this motion focuses on evidence already obtained, not on adding new information.

• Dismissing charges against the defendant is typically pursued through different motions or legal strategies, not through a suppression motion which only concerns the admissibility of evidence.

• Changing the trial location, known as a motion for change of venue, is entirely unrelated to the context of suppressing evidence and is used in circumstances where an impartial jury