Issue: What is the standard for summary judgment in the U.S. District Courts?
| Area of Law: | Litigation & Procedure |
| Keywords: | Summary judgment; No genuine issue as to any material fact; U.S. District Courts |
| Jurisdiction: | Federal |
| Cited Cases: | 477 U.S. 242 |
| Cited Statutes: | Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c) |
| Date: | 06/01/2001 |
The purpose of summary judgment is to dispose of factually unsupported claims or defenses. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323-24 (1986). Summary judgment must be granted as a matter of law when, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion, the Court finds no genuine issues of material fact. Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c); Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 247 (1986). Disputes over facts that might affect the suit’s outcome preclude summary judgment. Id. at 248. Therefore, the threshold inquiry for the court is whether a genuine controversy exists, based on evidence contrary to the movant’s position and substantial enough that a finder of fact might reasonably reach a verdict in the favor of the nonmoving party. Id. at 252. In hearing this motion, the court may not make any findings of fact and may not make any decisions based on witness credibility. Id. at 255.
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