Glossary Term
Summary Judgment
Definition
A pretrial ruling that decides a claim without a trial because the key facts are not genuinely disputed and the law dictates the outcome. It lets a court end a case, or part of one, as a matter of law.
Hypothetical
A contractor sues for a bill, but the signed contract plainly says no payment is due until the city issues a permit, and the permit was never issued. Because no reasonable jury could find the bill due, the court can grant summary judgment without a trial.