Opinion ID: 1665643
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: choice of summary judgment standard

Text: Herein, we choose to follow the standard for summary judgment announced in the case of Paintsville Hospital v. Rose, supra , instead of adopting a more relaxed standard of summary judgment enumerated in the three United States Supreme Court decisions. The federal rules of procedure, e.g., F.R.Civ.P. 56, are applicable to the proceedings in federal courts and are not to be applied to practice or procedure in state courts. See, 35A C.J.S., Federal Civil Procedure, § 1. It is clear that the new federal summary judgment standards declared in the recent Supreme Court decisions will expand summary judgment practice in federal courts and allow for it to be an effective device in the disposal of unmeritorious litigation. This Court has consistently recognized that the original purpose of summary judgment procedure is to expedite the disposition of cases and to avoid unnecessary trials where no genuine issues of material fact are raised. See, Green v. Bourbon County Joint Planning Commission, supra ; Preston v. Elm Hill Meats, Inc., Ky., 420 S.W.2d 396 (1967); Continental Casualty Company v. Belknap Hardware and Manufacturing Co., supra . For the reasons previously noted, the new federal standards of summary judgment do have appeal, but we perceive no oppressive or unmanageable case backlog or problems with unmeritorious or frivolous litigation in the state's courts that would require us to adopt a new approach such as the new federal standards. The standards for summary judgment in Paintsville Hospital , along with other procedural devices (e.g. Civil Rule 11), are sufficient to handle problems concerning unmeritorious litigation and unnecessary trials. We adhere to the principle that summary judgment is to be cautiously applied and should not be used as a substitute for trial. As declared in Paintsville Hospital , it should only be used to terminate litigation when, as a matter of law, it appears that it would be impossible for the respondent to produce evidence at the trial warranting a judgment in his favor and against the movant. It is vital that we not sever litigants from their right of trial, if they do in fact have valid issues to try, just for the sake of efficiency and expediency. Accordingly, we readopt the mandate announced in Paintsville Hospital as the proper standard for summary judgment in this state as well as applying it to the facts of this case.