Rule 56 Summary Judgment: A ruling by the court that no trial is necessary because there are no issues of material fact

• A. A ruling that no trial is necessary because there are no issues of material fact
• B. A ruling granting a new trial
• C. A ruling on venue
• D. An order to enable discovery

Answer: (A)

Summary judgment is a ruling that no trial is needed when there is no genuine dispute about material facts. The moving party must show, based on the evidence, that there are no factual issues a finder of fact could resolve and that they are entitled to judgment as a matter of law. If the court is convinced there’s no genuine dispute on any material fact, it can render judgment without a trial. The key idea is that the outcome hinges on legal questions, not on resolving competing versions of disputed facts. If substantial factual issues could affect the result, summary judgment must be denied and the case proceeds to trial. The other options describe different procedures—a new trial after a trial, venue concerns about where the case is heard, and discovery orders to obtain evidence—which are not what Rule 56 addresses.