A motion for protective order refers to a party’s request that the court protect it from potentially abusive action by the other party. Such a request is often made in relation to discovery, as when one party seeks discovery of the other party’s trade secrets. A protective order from discovery protects the person who would otherwise have to provide discovery (e.g. answer interrogatories, answer deposition questions on a subject, provide documents responsive to a request for production of documents, to allow someone to inspect premises, or to participate in a forensic medical.