Several years ago, while working in the old civil district courthouse that now houses the 1st and 14th Courts of Appeal, I was reviewing motions and drafting memos for my judge. One motion for summary judgment (MSJ) had so many grammatical errors that it was incomprehensible. The run-on sentences, subject-verb agreement errors and improper punctuation made it impossible to follow the movant’s arguments. All motions should be coherent, particularly the MSJ.
The MSJ, which is essentially a paper trial, needs to be clear, unambiguous and persuasive. It can narrow issues, save time and resources, educate the parties as to each other’s strategies and familiarize the judge with the disputes at issue. Although it can dispose of the entire case or part of a matter, it cannot deprive a litigant with a viable suit of its right to trial by jury.
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law are third party online distributors of the broad collection of current and archived versions of ALM's legal news publications. LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law customers are able to access and use ALM's content, including content from the National Law Journal, The American Lawyer, Legaltech News, The New York Law Journal, and Corporate Counsel, as well as other sources of legal information.
For questions call 1-877-256-2472 or contact us at [email protected]