In this episode, Jim Garrity highlights a June 17, 2022 court ruling where Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(d) was in play. This rule allows you to ask a court to defer ruling on a prematurely-filed summary judgment motion, in order to allow you more time to complete depositions for use in opposing the motion. Here, Garrity dives deep into the rule, and into the winning and losing ways to draft or oppose FRCP 56(d) motions. Our Lessons from the Front Lines episodes spotlight brand-new deposition-related court rulings from around the country. So it's important to bear in mind that the rulings highlighted in these kinds of episodes are subject to revision, challenge, appeal, modification, or withdrawal. Thank you as always for listening.

SHOW NOTES

Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(d)

Koeppel v. Hartford Accident & Indemnity Co., 2022 WL 2191670 (E. D. La. June 17, 2022) (court declined to reconsider summary judgment motion because upcoming depositions would provide the missing proof where plaintiff’s counsel did not ask the court to defer ruling on summary judgment prior to the ruling)

Ocean Garden Products Inc. v. Blessings Incorporated 2020 WL 3545564, Case No. CV-18-322-TUC-RM (D. Ariz. 2020) (Rule 56(d) motion granted based on showing where good cause shown; excellent example of superior Rule 56(d) motion at Doc. 386 on Pacer.gov)

Patrick v. PHH Mortgage Corp., 2014 WL 713272, 998 F. Supp. 478 (N.D. W. Va. 2014) (Rule 56(d) motion denied where motion made only vague claims about what it would get and from whom)

Bunio Victory Packaging, L.P., 2020 WL 5203446 (E.D. Cal. 2020) (rule 56(d) motion granted in case where pro se plaintiff made legitimate showing)

Intervarsity Christian Fellowship/USA v. The University of Iowa, 2019 WL 9575232, Case No. 3:18-cv-80S-MRS-BJ (S. D. Iowa 2019) (Rule 56(d) motion granted where movant made good-faith showing of need for discovery, and where summary judgment motion was filed very early)

Papineau v. Brake Supply Company, Inc., 2020 WL 6704586, Case No., 4:18-CV-168-JHM (W.D. Ky 2020) (Rule 56(d) motion denied where factors weighed against holding dispositive motion in abeyance, being (a) when movant learned of issue needing more discovery, (b) whether the desired discovery would change potential ruling, (c) how long discovery has been open, (d) whether movant was diligent or dilatory, and (e) whether party filing dispositive motion was responsive to discovery requests)

N.K. Collins, LLC v. Williams Grant & Sons, Inc., 472 F. Supp. 3d 806 (D. Haw. 2020) (Rule 56(d) motion granted)

Hodgin v. UTC Fire & Security Americas Corp, Inc., 2018 WL 1308605, 885 F.3d 243 (4th. Cir. 2018) (affirming denial of 56(d) motion and grant of summary judgment; question on 56(d) motion isn’t whether discovery remained open but whether party seeking to defer ruling had reasonable opportunity to conduct essential discovery)

Federal Housing Finance Agency v. Las Vegas Development Group, LLC, 2021 WL 5359593, Case. No. 20-15658 (9th Cir. 2021) (affirming grant of summary judgment and denial of 56(d) motion where movant’s papers offered no reason to believe additional discovery would uncover evidence contradicting hundreds of pages of records and declarations proving key points)

Avery v. E & M Services, LLC, 2020 WL 4606840, No. 1:18-CV-00258 (D. N. Dakota 2020) (summary judgment denied without prejudice to allow parties to conduct more discovery)

Cimontubo – Tubagens e Soldadura, LDA v. Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., 2022 WL 2155285, No. 21-875-CV (2d Cir. 2022) (affirming grant of summary judgment and denying 56(d) motion; while due process requires an opportunity to present every available defense, defendant already had opportunity and may not have timely asked for more time)

Junk v. Board of Governors of Federal Reserve System, 2022 WL 363776, Case No. 19-3125-CV (2d. Cir. 2022) (affirming summary judgment and denying 56(d) motion, saying movant didn’t meet applicable standards)

Cline v. Dart Transit Company, 804 Fed. Appx. 307 (6th Cir. 2020) (reversing summary judgment and denial of 56(d) motion where trial judge limited discovery period to 90 days and allowed plaintiff a single deposition)

Smith v. OSF Healthcare System, 933 F. 3d 859 (7th Cir. 2019) (reversing denial of 56(d) motion and grant of summary judgment where movant demonstrated good cause to warrant deferral of ruling on dispositive motion)

Laborers’ Pension Fund v. Midwest Brickpaving, Inc., 2020 WL 264752 (N. D. Ill. 2020) (denying 56(d) motion, in part asserting that six months was more than ample discovery period, given facts of case; court expressed disdain for filing of combination summary judgment response and 56(d) motion)

Huff v. United States, 2021 WL 2533443, Case No. 3:20-CV-00942-MAB (S.D. Ill. 2021) (granting motion to defer ruling on summary judgment)

Furrion Property Holding Limited v. Way Interglobal Network, LLC, 2021 WL 4263757, Case No. 3:19-CV-566-PPS-MGG (N.D. Ind. 2021)

Stroh Die Cast LLC v. StoneRidge Control Devices, Inc., 2022 WL 179338 (W. D. Wisc. 2022) (rejecting 56(d) motion, filed as combination document with opposition to summary judgment, as filed too late)