A rate-independent model for the quasistatic evolution of a magnetoelastic plate is advanced and analyzed. Starting from the three-dimensional setting, we present an evolutionary Γ-convergence argument in order to pass to the limit in one of the material dimensions. By taking into account both conservative and dissipative actions, a nonlinear evolution system of rateindependent type is obtained. The existence of so-called energetic solutions to such system is proved via approximation.2010 Mathematics Subject Classification. Primary: 74F15, 74N30, 35K55.