Opinion ID: 403699
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: standard of review

Text: 28 In reviewing the grant of a summary judgment, we employ the same standard as that binding on the trial court. Garter-Bare Co. v. Munsingwear, Inc., 650 F.2d 975, 980 (9th Cir. 1980); Zweig v. Hearst Corp., 594 F.2d 1261, 1264 (9th Cir. 1979). Consequently, we will affirm a summary judgment if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c). For this purpose, all permissible inferences from the evidence must be drawn in favor of the non-moving party. Castaneda v. Dura-Vent Corp., 648 F.2d 612, 617 (9th Cir. 1981). 29 The moving party has the burden of demonstrating the absence of a genuine issue of material fact, regardless of where the ultimate burden of proof would lie at trial. Long v. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 646 F.2d 1310, 1320-1321 (9th Cir.), vacated on other grounds, --- U.S. ----, 102 S.Ct. 468, 70 L.Ed.2d 242 (1981); Bieghler v. Kleppe, 633 F.2d 531, 533 (9th Cir. 1980); Weisberg v. United States Dept. of Justice, 627 F.2d 365, 368 (D.C.Cir.1980). It is not enough for the moving party to present evidence that is legally sufficient to support a judgment in its favor or, put another way, evidence upon which a reasonable trier of fact could rationally base a verdict in its favor. That formulation of the standard would ignore that a reasonable trier of fact might also construe the same evidence to support a different result. Contradictory inferences may be drawn from undisputed evidentiary facts. Neely v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co., 584 F.2d 341, 345 (9th Cir. 1978). However, summary judgment should be granted when the evidence in support of the motion would, if uncontradicted, entitle the moving party to a directed verdict were the case to proceed to trial. Bieghler, supra, 633 F.2d at 533; British Airways Board v. Boeing Co., 585 F.2d 946, 951 (9th Cir. 1978), cert. denied, 440 U.S. 981, 99 S.Ct. 1790, 60 L.Ed.2d 241 (1979); Neely, supra, 584 F.2d at 344-45. Accordingly, the movant's evidence should demonstrate as a matter of law the absence of genuine issues of fact to present to the fact-finder. Garter-Bare, supra, 650 F.2d at 979; Neely, supra, 584 F.2d at 344-45. 30 If that burden is satisfied, then the party opposing the motion must present sufficient evidence supporting a claimed factual dispute so as to require a jury or judge to resolve the parties' differing versions of the truth at trial. First National Bank of Arizona v. Cities Service Co., 391 U.S. 253, 289, 88 S.Ct. 1575, 1592, 20 L.Ed.2d 569 (1968); British Airways Bd., supra, 585 F.2d at 952; Neely, supra, 584 F.2d at 344. The non-moving party may not rest upon the mere allegations of its pleadings to resist an adequately-supported motion for summary judgment. Castanada, supra, 648 F.2d at 617.