#28 · 2026-09-03 · Legal term
Summary judgment
Summary judgment tests whether a trial is needed to resolve a genuine dispute of material fact. Rule 56 permits judgment when no such dispute exists and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law; it is not a license to weigh credibility.
Rule to remember
Summary judgment resolves a claim or defense without trial when there is no genuine dispute of material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.
Key elements and checks
- No genuine dispute about a fact material under the governing law.
- Entitlement to judgment under that law.
In the source’s words
“no genuine dispute as to any material fact”
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56(a)
The court does not weigh competing testimony or resolve credibility disputes on this motion.