What is a motion for summary judgment?

A motion for summary judgment is a request to a court to make a ruling without the need for a trial. Its purpose is to allow the court to quickly and efficiently decide a case. In Massachusetts, summary judgment motions are commonly used in civil litigation to resolve disputes without a full trial. A party filing a motion for summary judgment must show that there are no genuine disputes of material fact in the case. This means that the facts of the case are clear and agreed upon by both parties, and the only issue is the legal interpretation of those facts. The court will then determine if, based on the facts presented, one party has a more powerful case than the other. If the court grants the motion for summary judgment, it will declare a winner in the case and issue an order for the losing party to take an action, such as pay damages or agree to an injunction. This order is final and not subject to appeal. If the court denies the motion, the case will proceed to trial and a jury will decide the outcome. In some cases, the court may be able to decide a summary judgment motion on the basis of legal documents and testimony without a full trial. This speeds up the process of deciding a case, and can help save time and money for all parties involved.

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What is a motion for summary judgment?

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