What is a successful motion for summary judgment?

Asked by: Delfina Franecki  |  Last update: October 24, 2025
Score: 4.1/5 (45 votes)

Summary judgment is appropriate if the pleadings, answers to interrogatories, admissions, affidavits and other evidence establish no genuine issue as to any material fact, and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.

What are the odds of winning a summary judgement?

The odds of winning a summary judgment, known as the grant rate, vary widely by case type. The most common grant of summary judgment is in Title VII and employment cases. These are granted in whole in 49.2% of cases, in part in 23.3% of cases, and denied in 27.5% of cases.

What does it mean to win a motion for summary judgment?

A summary judgment motion asks the court to decide this case without having a trial. Here are some important things to know. What is summary judgment? Summary judgment is a way for one party to win their case without a trial. The party can ask for summary judgment for part of the case or for the whole case.

What happens after a motion for summary judgment is granted?

Once the summary judgement is granted, the case ends there, and neither party will have to deal with the stresses of a full trial. At times, the winning party can ask for an award of costs or attorney fees from the other party unless those terms were already established in the summary judgment.

How to beat a motion for summary judgment?

Consider the following five approaches:
  1. Show that the motion fails to list the specific facts and law supporting summary judgment. ...
  2. Show that a dispute exists on a material fact. ...
  3. Show that the law does not support judgment on the undisputed facts.

The Five Minute Legal Master Series: Motions for Summary Judgment

32 related questions found

What is the burden of proof for summary judgement?

As discussed in Aguilar, a party moving for summary judgment has the initial burden to demonstrate either that: (1) The non-moving party does not have, and cannot reasonably obtain, evidence supporting their claim, or (2) Submit sufficient affirmative evidence to establish that there is no triable issue of material ...

How often are summary judgments overturned?

While your particular odds will depend on the particular facts, you can expect the California Court of Appeal to reverse, on average, about 29% of the summary judgments that are appealed.

How long does a judge take to rule on summary judgement?

The judge will decide after the Court considers the evidence from the motion and hearing. It can take several months for a judge to issue an order. In federal court, the judge's ruling often takes much longer, and it is not uncommon for judges to wait six or more months for their decision.

What happens if a motion for summary judgment is denied?

If summary judgment is denied, then the case will move forward to trial and the costs of litigation to both sides will likely increase substantially.

How do you respond to a motion for summary judgement?

A response to a summary judgment motion must be in writing, submitted by the deadline set by the assigned Administrative Judge, and include: (1) a statement that responds to the undisputed material facts listed in the summary judgment motion; and (2) a responsive analysis of the facts under the applicable legal ...

How to be successful in a summary judgement?

To succeed in obtaining a summary judgment, a party must present compelling evidence and legal arguments that establish there are no genuine issues of material fact to be tried.

Why might a judge issue a summary judgment?

When considering a motion for summary judgment, the court views all evidence in the light most favorable to the non-movant. If the evidence is “merely colorable, or is not significantly probative,” summary judgment may be granted.

How long does a judge have to answer a motion?

Sometimes, the Judge makes a decision right away. If not, the Judge has 60 days by law to decide the motion.

What does it mean if you win a summary judgment?

If a motion for summary judgment is granted, the judge has determined that no material facts are in dispute and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.

Does summary judgment dismiss a case?

Because a summary judgment does not result in a dismissal, this practice of referring to a summary judgment as a dismissal should stop. Referring to a summary judgment as a dismissal not only is wrong, but it also can lead to significant problems.

Is summary Judgement the same as final Judgement?

If the Court grants the full motion, the moving party obtains an appealable final judgment. On the other hand, if the judge grants summary judgment on only some claims, the order is not an appealable final judgment because some remaining claims/defenses in the case must be resolved.

What happens after a motion for summary judgement?

A motion for summary judgment is a motion asking the court to issue summary judgment on at least one claim . If the motion is granted, a decision is made on the claims involved without holding a trial .

How do you beat a motion for summary judgment?

While your burden in opposing a motion for summary judgment is only to do the latter, a persuasive opposition will go further. Your opposition should not only convince the Court that summary judgment is improper, but that you will prevail at trial. This is the “overkill” approach, and it is highly effective.

What evidence can be used in summary judgment?

Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure states that a motion for summary judgment must be supported or opposed by “citing to particular parts of materials in the record,” to include “depositions, documents, electronically stored information, affidavits or declarations, stipulations * * *, admissions, ...

What typically happens if a summary judgment motion is denied?

When a motion for summary judgment is denied, the nonmoving party achieves a form of premium that enables a case to settle for an additional amount. Put simply, the settlement value of a case increases when a motion for summary judgment is denied. Thus, denials of summary judgment up the ante in the litigation game.

How long does it take for a judge to make a decision?

After the hearing, the decision of the judge can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. This period depends on various factors, including the complexity of the case, the judge's workload, and the need for additional evidence or expert opinions.

What is the success rate of motions to dismiss?

Motions to dismiss are accordingly used very commonly in an attempt to reduce defense costs and achieve an early resolution of such claims. Indeed, motions to dismiss are filed in almost all securities cases, with an approximately 50% success rate.

What are the burdens of summary judgment?

Legal burdens in summary judgment include the burden of proof, the burden of production, and the burden of persuasion. If the moving party does not meet its initial burden of production, the nonmoving party is not obligated to respond and can defeat the motion for summary judgment without producing any evidence.

Is summary judgment put up or shut up?

Summary judgment is the “put up or shut up moment in a lawsuit, when a party must show what evidence it has that would convince a trier of fact to accept its version of events.”

Can a motion for summary judgment be amended?

Rule 15(a)(1) provides that a party may amend a complaint once as a matter of course within 21 days of service, or within 21 days of being served with an answer or a motion to dismiss, whichever is earlier. Fed. R. Civ.