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Celotex Corp. v. Catrett

United States Supreme Court
477 U.S. 317, 106 S. Ct. 2548, 91 L. Ed. 2d 265 (1986)

Written by Matt Fyock, JD

Facts

Myrtle Catrett (plaintiff) filed suit in federal district court against multiple asbestos manufacturers (defendants), including Celotex Corp., claiming that her husband died from exposure to the manufacturers’ asbestos. A year later, after discovery, Celotex moved for summary judgment, arguing that Catrett had failed to present any evidence that her husband had been exposed to Celotex products. Specifically, Celotex argued that Catrett’s responses to Celotex’s interrogatories failed to identify any witnesses who could testify to the husband’s exposure. In opposition to the summary-judgment motion, Catrett offered three documents that suggested her husband had been exposed to Celotex products. The district court granted summary judgment. The court of appeals reversed. It read Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56 as requiring a summary-judgment movant to offer evidence to support its motion before the nonmovant was required to present evidence to survive the motion. The court of appeals therefore found summary judgment improper because Celotex had not offered any evidence, such as affidavits, to support its argument that there was no genuine issue of material fact regarding the husband’s exposure to Celotex products. Because Celotex had failed to provide such support, consideration of Catrett’s three documents was considered unnecessary. The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari.

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Holding and Reasoning (Rehnquist, J.)

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Dissent (Brennan, J.)

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