Opinion ID: 1251042
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: the nature of summary process

Text: The focus in summary process is not on facts a plaintiff might be able to prove at trial ( i.e., the legal sufficiency of evidence that could be adduced) but rather on whether the evidentiary materials as a whole (a) show undisputed facts on some or all material issues and (b) will support but a single inference in favor of a successful movant's quest for relief. Summary adjudication process  a special pretrial procedural track to be conducted with the aid of acceptable probative substitutes [16]  is a search for undisputed material fact issues that may be resolved without forensic combat. It is a method for identifying and isolating non-triable fact issues, not a device for defeating the opponent's right to trial by jury. Only that evidentiary material which entirely eliminates from trial some or all fact issues may afford legitimate support for nisi prius resort to summary process.