Local Rule CV-56: Summary Judgment Procedure

LOCAL RULE CV-56 Summary Judgment Procedure

(a) Motion. Any motion for summary judgment must include: (1) a statement of the issues to be decided by the court; and (2) a "Statement of Undisputed Material Facts." If the movant relies upon evidence to support its motion, the motion should include appropriate citations to proper summary judgment evidence as set forth below. Proper summary judgment evidence should be attached to the motion in accordance with Section (d) of this rule.

(b) Response. Any response to a motion for summary judgment must include: (1) a response to the statement of issues; and (2) a response to the "Statement of Undisputed Material Facts." The responsive brief should be supported by appropriate citations to proper summary judgment evidence as set forth below. Proper summary judgment evidence should be attached in accordance with Section (d) of this rule.

(c) Ruling. In resolving the motion for summary judgment, the court will assume that the facts as claimed and supported by admissible evidence by the moving party are admitted to exist without controversy, except to the extent that such facts are controverted in the responsive brief filed in opposition to the motion, as supported by proper summary judgment evidence. The court will not scour the record in an attempt to unearth an undesignated genuine issue of material fact.

(d) Proper summary judgment evidence. As used within this rule, "proper summary judgment evidence" means excerpted copies of pleadings, depositions, documents, electronically stored information, answers to interrogatories, admissions, affidavits or declarations, stipulations (including those made for purposes of the motion only), and other admissible evidence cited in the motion for summary judgment or the response thereto. "Appropriate citations" means that any excerpted evidentiary materials that are attached to the motion or the response should be referred to by page and, if possible, by line. Counsel are strongly encouraged to highlight or underline the cited portion of any attached evidentiary materials, unless the citation encompasses the entire page. The page preceding and following a highlighted page may be submitted if necessary to place the highlighted material in context. Only relevant, cited-to excerpts of evidentiary materials should be attached to the motion or the response.