A motion for reconsideration asks the same court to revisit a ruling it already made. Courts are generally reluctant to grant these, which makes the specific grounds raised more important than in almost any other motion.
What actually qualifies
A genuine change in controlling law, newly discovered evidence unavailable earlier despite diligence, or a clear error the court itself made are the recognized grounds — simply disagreeing with the outcome isn't one of them.
Don't just repeat the original argument
Motions that rehash the same points already rejected, without identifying what the court overlooked or got wrong, are routinely denied — and can draw skepticism toward future filings in the same case.
The deadline is often very short
Many jurisdictions give a narrow window — sometimes just days — to move for reconsideration after a ruling. Missing it can foreclose this option entirely, leaving appeal as the only remaining path.
Consider whether appeal is the better path
For a genuine legal error rather than an overlooked fact, an appeal to a higher court may ultimately be more effective than asking the same judge to reverse their own ruling.