The Effects of COVID-19 on Appealing a Summary Judgment Ruling.

Abstract

Summary judgment or summary disposition is a mechanism that permits parties in a lawsuit to obtain a court ruling before trial regarding certain elements of that case. It is designed for situations in which the court determines that no issue of material fact needs to go to trial. A principal result of a summary judgment ruling is the avoidance of time and expense. Ordinarily, tight deadlines, the perception that success is unlikely, and associated expenses have tended to deter interlocutory appeals.