Representative bodies of judges and lawyers have agreed on key aspects of the impending Assembly Bill 2049, aimed at transforming the summary judgment practice in California, a move we are seeing for the first time in over 20 years. This comes from a recent piece on Law.com.
The new bill, due to be heard in its initial policy committee hearing on Tuesday, is expected to lengthen the timelines for filing, repelling, and replying to summary judgment motions. Moreover, it contains provisions to forbid lawyers from introducing new evidence or facts in reply briefs.
Additionally, Assembly Bill 2049 features measures to prevent litigants from making more than one motion for summary judgment in a case, a rule that can only be bent if there’s a compelling reason to do so.
The integral shift in California’s summary judgment practice encapsulated in this bill is expected to bring new dynamics to the state’s legal field. Yet, while some aspects have been agreed upon, it remains to be seen how the bill will be received in its Tuesday hearing and whether it will ultimately be enacted into law.