Summary judgment is a procedural device used in civil litigation to promptly and efficiently resolve a case when there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. It allows a court to avoid the time and expense of a full trial when the undisputed facts demonstrate that one party should prevail.
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Summary judgment can be granted on the entire case or on specific issues within the case.
The moving party bears the burden of demonstrating the absence of any genuine dispute over material facts.
Courts must view the evidence in the light most favorable to the non-moving party when deciding a summary judgment motion.
Summary judgment is appropriate when the record shows that no reasonable jury could find for the non-moving party.
Granting summary judgment avoids the time and expense of a full trial, but the non-moving party has a right to a jury trial if material facts are in dispute.
Review Questions
Explain the purpose and key requirements for granting summary judgment.
The purpose of summary judgment is to promptly and efficiently resolve a case when there is no genuine dispute over any material facts, and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. To grant summary judgment, the court must find that the undisputed facts demonstrate that one party should prevail, avoiding the need for a full trial. The moving party bears the burden of showing the absence of any genuine dispute over material facts, and the court must view the evidence in the light most favorable to the non-moving party.
Describe how the summary judgment process relates to the right to a jury trial.
Summary judgment is a procedural device that allows a court to avoid a full trial when the undisputed facts show that one party should prevail. However, the non-moving party has a constitutional right to a jury trial if there are material facts in dispute. Therefore, the court must carefully examine the record to determine if there are any genuine disputes over facts that are relevant and necessary to the outcome of the case. If such disputes exist, summary judgment must be denied, and the case must proceed to trial before a jury.
Analyze the role of summary judgment in promoting the efficient resolution of civil litigation.
Summary judgment plays a crucial role in promoting the efficient resolution of civil litigation. By allowing courts to promptly dispose of cases where there are no genuine disputes over material facts, summary judgment helps to avoid the time and expense of a full trial. This conserves judicial resources and allows courts to focus on cases where there are genuine factual disputes that require the involvement of a jury. At the same time, summary judgment respects the non-moving party's right to a jury trial by requiring the court to find that no reasonable jury could rule in their favor based on the undisputed facts. Overall, summary judgment is an important tool for balancing the goals of efficiency and fairness in the civil justice system.
Related terms
Motion for Summary Judgment: A request made by a party to the court to grant summary judgment in their favor based on the lack of any genuine dispute over the material facts of the case.
Genuine Dispute: A material factual disagreement between the parties that must be resolved by a trier of fact, precluding summary judgment.
Material Fact: A fact that is relevant and necessary to the outcome of the case, as opposed to irrelevant or trivial details.