1. (law) a judgment rendered by the court prior to a verdict because no material issue of fact exists and one party or the other is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law
   "The defendant's motion for summary judgement was granted, avoiding a lengthy trial";
   - summary judgment, judgment on the pleadings, judgement on the pleadings

Derived forms: summary judgements

Type of: judgement, judgment, judicial decision

Encyclopedia: Summary judgement