Rule 12. Defenses and Objections: When
and How Presented; Motion for
Judgment on the Pleadings;
Consolidating
Motions; Waiving Defenses; Pretrial Hearing
. . .
(c) Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings. After the pleadings are
closed — but early enough not to delay trial — a party may move for
judgment on the
pleadings.
(d) Result of Presenting Matters Outside the Pleadings. If, on a
motion under Rule 12(b)(6) or 12(c), matters outside the pleadings are
presented to
and not excluded by the court, the motion must be treated as one for
summary judgment under Rule 56. All parties must be given a reasonable
opportunity to
present all the material that is pertinent to the motion.
Rule 56. Summary Judgment
(a) By a Claiming Party. A party claiming relief may move, with
or without supporting affidavits, for summary judgment on all or part
of the claim. The
motion may be filed at any time after:
(1) 20 days have passed from commencement of the
action; or
(2) the opposing party serves a motion for summary
judgment.
(b) By a Defending Party. A party against whom relief is sought
may move at any time, with or without supporting affidavits, for
summary judgment
on all or part of the claim.
(c) Serving the Motion; Proceedings. The motion must be served at
least 10 days before the day set for the hearing. An opposing party may
serve opposing
affidavits before the hearing day. The judgment sought should be
rendered if the pleadings, the discovery and disclosure materials on
file, and any
affidavits show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact
and that the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.
(d) Case Not Fully Adjudicated on the Motion.
(1) Establishing Facts. If summary judgment is
not rendered on the whole action, the court should, to the extent
practicable, determine what
material facts are not genuinely at issue. The court
should so determine by examining the pleadings and evidence before it
and by
interrogating the attorneys. It should then issue an
order specifying what facts — including items of damages or other
relief — are not genuinely at
issue. The facts so specified must be treated as
established in the action.
(2) Establishing Liability. An interlocutory
summary judgment may be rendered on liability alone, even if there is a
genuine issue on the
amount of damages.
(e) Affidavits; Further Testimony.
(1) In General. A supporting or opposing
affidavit must be made on personal knowledge, set out facts that would
be admissible in evidence, and
show that the affiant is competent to testify on the
matters stated. If a paper or part of a paper is referred to in an
affidavit, a sworn or certified
copy must be attached to or served with the
affidavit. The court may permit an affidavit to be supplemented or
opposed by depositions,
answers to interrogatories, or additional affidavits.
(2) Opposing Party’s Obligation to Respond. When a
motion for summary judgment is properly made and supported, an opposing
party
may not rely merely on allegations or denials in its
own pleading; rather, its response must — by affidavits or as otherwise
provided in this rule —
set out specific facts showing a genuine issue for
trial. If the opposing party does not so respond, summary judgment
should, if appropriate, be
entered against that party.
. . .