Legal Definitions - MSJ

Definition: MSJ is an abbreviation for Motion for Summary Judgment. It is a legal document filed by a party in a lawsuit asking the court to rule in their favor without a trial.

• John's lawyer filed an MSJ, arguing that there was no evidence to support the plaintiff's claims.
• The defendant's MSJ was denied by the judge, who ruled that there were still disputed facts that needed to be resolved at trial.

These examples illustrate how an MSJ is used in a legal context. In the first example, John's lawyer is using the MSJ to try to get the case dismissed without going to trial. In the second example, the defendant's MSJ was unsuccessful because the judge determined that there were still issues that needed to be resolved through a trial.