Summary Judgment

Summary Judgment

Summary Judgment is a legal procedure utilized in civil litigation that allows a party to obtain a judgment in their favor without the need for a full trial. This occurs when one party contends that there are no genuine disputes of material fact relevant to the case, and thus, they are entitled to judgment as a matter of law.

In a Summary Judgment motion, the moving party (the party requesting the judgment) submits evidence, such as affidavits, documents, or deposition transcripts, to demonstrate that there are no factual disagreements that would require a trial. The opposing party then has the opportunity to respond with their own evidence countering the claims made by the moving party.

If the court finds that the evidence presented shows that there are no genuine issues of material fact and that the law favors the moving party, it will grant the Summary Judgment. This effectively resolves the case without the need for a trial, saving time and resources. Conversely, if the court determines that there are factual disputes that need to be resolved, it will deny the motion, and the case will proceed to trial.

For example, in a breach of contract case, if one party has provided clear evidence that the other party did not fulfill their contractual obligations and the other party fails to present any substantial evidence to dispute this claim, the court may grant a Summary Judgment in favor of the first party, resulting in a legal resolution without trial.