Opinion ID: 374068
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Law of Summary Judgments

Text: 21 Under Rule 56 a motion for summary judgment shall be granted 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). While summary judgment is a proper device for adjudicating claims, it is a lethal weapon, and courts must be mindful of its aims and targets and beware of overkill in its use. Brunswick Corp. v. Vineberg, 370 F.2d 605, 612 (5th Cir. 1967). 22 The federal rule clearly indicates that a summary judgment is appropriate only if no genuine issue of material fact exists. The burden of proof falls on the party seeking summary judgment, and any doubt as to the existence of a genuine issue of material fact must be resolved against the moving party. Alabama Farm Bureau Mutual Casualty Co. v. American Fidelity Life Insurance Co., 606 F.2d 602 (5th Cir. 1979); Southern Distributing Co. v. Southdown, Inc., 574 F.2d 824 (5th Cir. 1978). We note that a court can only enter a summary judgment if everything in the record pleadings, depositions, interrogatories, affidavits, etc. demonstrates that no genuine issue of material fact exists. Rule 56 does not distinguish between documents merely filed and those singled out by counsel for special attention the court must consider both before granting a summary judgment. 8 See Higgenbotham v. Ochsner Foundation Hospital, 607 F.2d 653, 656 (5th Cir. 1979). With the stringent criteria for summary judgment in mind, we search the record before us for genuine issues of material fact. 23