How is summary judgment defined?

Summary judgment is defined as a determination made by the court without a full trial due to undisputed material facts. This legal process allows a judge to decide a case based on the facts that are not in dispute, which means that there is no need for a full trial to resolve these issues. Essentially, if one party can show there are no significant factual disputes and that they are entitled to judgment as a matter of law, the court can grant summary judgment, leading to a faster resolution of the case.

This process is particularly valuable in civil litigation as it helps to streamline cases by eliminating unnecessary trials when there is no real conflict over the key facts. By focusing on these undisputed facts, the court can efficiently determine the outcome based on the law, ensuring that only genuine disputes go to trial.