Practical Law Glossary Item 1-502-4081 (Approx. 2 pages)
Glossary
Summary Judgment
A procedural device that allows a court to decide a party's claims or defenses before trial.
Because summary judgment is concerned with whether the evidence in the case is strong enough to dispense with the need for a trial, summary judgment motions are generally not appropriate until after the parties have completed discovery, although it is common in certain jurisdictions to seek summary judgment before the close of discovery.