Rule 56 (Federal Rules of Civil Procedure)

Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure governs summary judgment, a legal process where a court decides a case without a full trial. It allows a party to request that the court dismiss claims or defenses if there’s no genuine dispute over the important facts, meaning the facts are clear enough to decide the case as a matter of law. This helps resolve cases efficiently by avoiding unnecessary trials when the evidence shows there’s no real dispute about the key issues. The rule ensures that cases can be resolved fairly and promptly when the essential facts are not in question.