Short answer. The specific relief being sought and the grounds it is based on. If the Rules require it, or if proving the facts alleged calls for it, the motion must also be accompanied by supporting affidavits and other papers rather than resting on bare assertions alone.
What the law says
A motion shall state the relief sought to be obtained and the grounds upon which it is based, and if required by these Rules or necessary to prove facts alleged therein, shall be accompanied by supporting affidavits and other papers.
Rule 15, Section 3 — Contents. Read the full provision →
The two mandatory elements
Every motion filed with the court must state two things at an absolute minimum: the relief sought to be obtained, and the grounds upon which that relief is actually based. A motion that asks for something from the court without clearly explaining why it deserves that relief, or that argues at length without ever clearly stating what it is actually asking the court to do, does not meet this basic content requirement at all.
When supporting papers are also required
Beyond simply stating the relief sought and the grounds behind it, a motion must additionally be accompanied by supporting affidavits and other papers in two distinct situations: first, when these Rules specifically require such supporting material for that particular type of motion, and second, when actually proving the facts alleged in the motion itself makes such supporting material genuinely necessary. A motion resting entirely on disputed factual claims, without any affidavit or documentary backing, risks being denied for lack of proof even if its stated grounds would otherwise justify the relief sought.
Why grounds and relief must both be stated
Requiring both elements together prevents motions that end up vague about what they are actually asking the court to do, or that request relief without ever connecting it back to any clearly stated justification. Both the court itself, and the opposing party who must respond to the motion, need both pieces of information together to properly evaluate whether the relief being requested is genuinely warranted.
How this connects to proving the motion's facts
Where a motion depends on facts that are not already established somewhere in the existing record, simply asserting those facts within the motion's stated grounds is not automatically treated as enough on its own — the rule anticipates that supporting affidavits and other papers may well be needed to actually prove them, tying the basic content requirement directly to the practical need for real supporting evidence behind the request. A motion that omits required supporting affidavits where the Rules call for them, or that fails to attach documentation genuinely necessary to prove a disputed fact it relies on, remains vulnerable to denial even if the stated relief and grounds are otherwise clear and properly framed.
Related provisions
- Rule 15, Section 3 — Contents
- Rule 15, Section 2 — Motions must be in writing
- Rule 15, Section 4 — Non