Define summary judgment.

Define summary judgment.

• A. A motion made for SJ is a motion for judgment without going through an entire trial
• B. A ruling after a full trial
• C. A type of default judgment
• D. An automatic judgment after a missed hearing

Answer: (A)

Summary judgment is a pre-trial ruling where the court decides that one party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law because there are no genuine issues of material fact to be resolved at trial. This means the judge can grant judgment without holding a full trial if the evidence shows that, even viewing all facts in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party, there is no real dispute about essential facts and the law supports a win. A party asks for this by filing a motion for summary judgment, usually supported with evidence like affidavits, depositions, and documentary exhibits. The opposing side must show there is a genuine issue of material fact that would require a trial to resolve. If the court finds there are no such issues, it grants the motion; otherwise, the motion is denied and the case proceeds to trial. This concept contrasts with a ruling after a full trial (which comes from a trial's verdict or post-trial judgment), a default judgment (which results from a party failing to respond or appear), and an automatic judgment after a missed hearing (which does not reflect the merits of the case).

Summary judgment is a pre-trial ruling where the court decides that one party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law because there are no genuine issues of material fact to be resolved at trial. This means the judge can grant judgment without holding a full trial if the evidence shows that, even viewing all facts in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party, there is no real dispute about essential facts and the law supports a win.

A party asks for this by filing a motion for summary judgment, usually supported with evidence like affidavits, depositions, and documentary exhibits. The opposing side must show there is a genuine issue of material fact that would require a trial to resolve. If the court finds there are no such issues, it grants the motion; otherwise, the motion is denied and the case proceeds to trial.

This concept contrasts with a ruling after a full trial (which comes from a trial's verdict or post-trial judgment), a default judgment (which results from a party failing to respond or appear), and an automatic judgment after a missed hearing (which does not reflect the merits of the case).