---
title: "Motion Success by Year"
description: "Compare motion outcomes over time for the criteria you select."
---

Motion Success by Year shows how the outcomes of selected motions have changed over time. Use it to compare patterns in granted, denied, partial, and other results for the motions and litigation criteria relevant to your research.

## What it tells you

Motion Success by Year groups matching motion decisions by year and result.

The chart separates outcomes into:

- **Granted**
- **Denied**
- **Partial**
- **Other**

The table below the chart provides the corresponding counts for each year.

## Questions it can answer

- How have outcomes for a particular type of motion changed over time?
- How often have selected motions been granted, denied, or partially granted?
- Do motion-outcome patterns differ for a particular court, judge, or legal issue?
- How has activity involving a selected document type changed from year to year?
- Does narrowing the search to a particular litigation context reveal a different trend?

## How to interpret the analysis

Motion Success by Year shows **recorded results for the motion decisions that match your selected criteria**.

Each year reflects the decisions recorded during that period. The chart is based on motion decisions rather than cases, so a case can contribute more than one result when multiple motions are decided.

**Other** represents recorded results that fall outside the primary Granted, Denied, and Partial categories.

The current year is incomplete. Where shown, **YTD** reflects activity recorded so far, while the **estimated** value projects the current pace across the full year.

## Filters and defaults

Start by selecting the motion activity you want to analyze.

Common filters include:

- posture of motion
- type of document
- result of motion
- legal issue
- court

Use **Add More Filters** to include other available criteria. After the results open, use **Edit Filters** or related filters to refine the analysis further.

Depending on the library and search, additional criteria may include judges, filing dates, case outcomes, determinations, or appeal-related information.

## Reading the results

Each stacked bar shows the mix of recorded motion results for that year.

Use the chart to compare changes in both motion volume and outcome patterns over time. The table below the chart is useful when you need the exact displayed counts.

Because the chart measures motion decisions, it should not be read as a case win rate or as a measure of overall litigation success.

## Explore the underlying records

Select a chart value to continue into the related Docket Navigator records for that result and year.

Review the underlying decisions when you need to understand the legal issue, procedural context, judge, or case circumstances behind a trend.

## Important considerations

Motion Success by Year summarizes recorded motion outcomes. It does not measure the overall success of a party, firm, or case.

Current-year figures may be incomplete or estimated, so compare them with completed years accordingly.

:::note
Analytics tools vary by library. See [Analytics Availability](/analytics/availability/) for current availability.
:::