Summary Judgment Motion
After discovery is complete, the Defendant may file a motion for summary judgment. This motion asks the Court to dismiss the case on the basis that Plaintiff does not have a case that can be won in front of a jury. Many Defendants bring this motion regardless of the strength of the Plaintiff’s case with the hope that the case does not get to a jury.
In determining whether summary judgment should be granted to the Defendant, the judge will review deposition testimony, the employer’s policies, testimony of witnesses, and written submissions by the lawyers. In reviewing the evidence, the judge will try to determine whether the Plaintiff, if believed, can win the case if permitted to take the case to a jury trial. If the judge determines that the Plaintiff will not win, he will dismiss the case. If not, he will deny Defendant’s motion for summary judgment and set the case for trial. The summary judgment process takes approximately 3 to 6 months, sometimes longer depending on the judge’s case load.