Courts of Justice Act

ONTARIOREGULATION 114/99

Amended to O. Reg. 89/04

FAMILY LAW RULES

RULE 16:  SUMMARY JUDGMENT

WHEN AVAILABLE

16.  (1)  After the respondent has served an answer or after the time for serving an answer has expired, a party may make a motion for summary judgment for a final order without a trial on all or part of any claim made or any defence presented in the case.  O. Reg. 114/99, r. 16 (1).

AVAILABLE IN ANY CASE EXCEPT DIVORCE

(2)  A motion for summary judgment under subrule (1) may be made in any case (including a child protection case) that does not include a divorce claim.  O. Reg. 114/99, r. 16 (2).

DIVORCE CLAIM

(3)  In a case that includes a divorce claim, the procedure provided in rule 36 (divorce) for an uncontested divorce may be used, or the divorce claim may be split from the rest of the case under subrule 12 (6).  O. Reg. 114/99, r. 16 (3).

EVIDENCE REQUIRED

(4)  The party making the motion shall serve an affidavit or other evidence that sets out specific facts showing that there is no genuine issue requiring a trial.  O. Reg. 114/99, r. 16 (4).

EVIDENCE OF RESPONDING PARTY

(4.1)  In response to the affidavit or other evidence served by the party making the motion, the party responding to the motion may not rest on mere allegations or denials but shall set out, in an affidavit or other evidence, specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.  O. Reg. 91/03, s. 5.

EVIDENCE NOT FROM PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE

(5)  If a party’s evidence is not from a person who has personal knowledge of the facts in dispute, the court may draw conclusions unfavourable to the party.  O. Reg. 114/99, r. 16 (5).

NO ISSUE FOR TRIAL

(6)  If there is no genuine issue requiring a trial of a claim or defence, the court shall make a final order accordingly.  O. Reg. 114/99, r. 16 (6).

ONLY ISSUE AMOUNT OF ENTITLEMENT

(7)  If the only genuine issue is the amount to which a party is entitled, the court shall order a trial to decide the amount.  O. Reg. 114/99, r. 16 (7).

ONLY ISSUE QUESTION OF LAW

(8)  If the only genuine issue is a question of law, the court shall decide the issue and make a final order accordingly.  O. Reg. 114/99, r. 16 (8).

ORDER GIVING DIRECTIONS

(9)  If the court does not make a final order, or makes an order for a trial of an issue, the court may also,

(a)   specify what facts are not in dispute, state the issues and give directions about how and when the case will go to trial (in which case the order governs how the trial proceeds, unless the trial judge orders otherwise to prevent injustice);

(b)   give directions; and

(c)   impose conditions (for example, require a party to pay money into court as security, or limit a party’s pretrial disclosure).  O. Reg. 114/99, r. 16 (9).

COSTS OF UNSUCCESSFUL MOTION

(10)  If the party who made the motion has no success on the motion, the court shall decide the amount of the other party’s costs of the motion on a full recovery basis and order the party who made the motion to pay them immediately, unless the motion was justified, although unsuccessful.  O. Reg. 114/99, r. 16 (10).

COSTS — BAD FAITH

(11)  If a party has acted in bad faith, the court shall decide the costs of the motion on a full recovery basis and shall order the party to pay them immediately.  O. Reg. 114/99, r. 16 (11).

MOTION FOR SUMMARY DECISION ON LEGAL ISSUE

(12)  The court may, on motion,

(a)   decide a question of law before trial, if the decision may dispose of all or part of the case, substantially shorten the trial or save substantial costs;

(b)   strike out an application, answer or reply because it sets out no reasonable claim or defence in law; or

(c)   dismiss or suspend a case because,

(i)   the court has no jurisdiction over it,

(ii)   a party has no legal capacity to carry on the case,

(iii)   there is another case going on between the same parties about the same matter, or

(iv)   the case is a waste of time, a nuisance or an abuse of the court process.  O. Reg. 114/99, r. 16 (12).

EVIDENCE ON MOTION FOR SUMMARY DECISION OF LEGAL ISSUE

(13)  On a motion under subrule (12), evidence is admissible only if the parties consent or the court gives