Opinion ID: 162903
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: standard of review

Text: 21 This court reviews a grant of summary judgment de novo, applying the same standard used by the district court under Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c). Sports Racing, 131 F.3d at 882. Summary judgment shall be rendered forthwith 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). Although this court has noted that in the broad sense summary judgment should be used sparingly in antitrust cases, the usual rules governing summary judgment still apply. Sports Racing, 131 F.3d at 882; see also Curtis, 687 F.2d at 338 (Summary procedures are to be used sparingly in anti-trust litigation. But where ... the record clearly indicates that there are no circumstances under which plaintiff can prevail, summary procedures are appropriate to avoid needless trials and unnecessary expense.). Moreover, even in antitrust cases, we are not limited to the grounds upon which the trial court relied but may base summary judgment on any proper grounds found in the record to permit conclusions of law. Sports Racing, 131 F.3d at 882 (quotation and alteration omitted). The district court's ruling that Ashley Creek lacked standing under Section 4 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. § 15, is a question of law subject to de novo review. Id.