Summary在法律中有两层含义：1. 概括的，扼要的；2.简易的；即决的。在法律程序中，主要取第2种意思。如summary conviction简易定罪（指由治安法官，或不经陪审团审判而直接由法官对刑事被告人作出有罪裁判。这种程序通常仅适用于轻微的犯罪。） 、summary proceedings（指以一种快速、简便的方式来解决争议、处理案件或开庭审判，不需陪审团的参加，也可以不遵守普通程序中有关诉讼开始、文书送达等各方面的要求的一种程序。但适用简易程序必须建立在正确调查事实的基础之上，要事先告知〔notice〕当事人，并给予被控告实施某行为者或其财产将受影响者以陈述的机会。该词有时也指某些非由法院进行的合法程序，如直接地排除防害〔physical abatement of a nuisance〕，自行取回财物〔recaption of goods〕等。）因此“summary judgment”指简易判决。

简易判决指当当事人对案件中的主要事实〔material facts〕不存在真正的争议〔genuine issue〕或案件仅涉及法律问题时，法院不经开庭审理而及早解决案件的一种方式。根据美国《联邦民事诉讼规则》〔Fed. R.Civil P.〕，在诉讼开始20天后，如果经诉答程序〔pleadings〕、披露〔discovery〕以及任何宣誓书〔affidavit〕表明当事人对案件的主要事实不存在真正的争议，认为自己在法律上应当胜诉的一方当事人可随时申请法庭作出简易判决。简易判决可就全部案件也可就案件中的部分事实作出。英国《最高法院规则》第14条〔R.S.C. Ord 14〕规定：在由宣誓书〔affidavit〕支持的传票〔summons〕签发后，该宣誓书证实了原告诉因的真实性并说明被告不会作答辩或提不出有争论性〔arguable〕的答辩，原告可向法院申请不经过开庭审理而对案件作出判决。原告的申请应在其起诉状〔statement of claim〕送达并且被告接受了送达〔acknowledgment of service〕、声明出庭应诉之后提出，但是对书面诽谤〔libel〕、口头诽谤〔slander〕、恶意控告〔malicious prosecution〕、欺诈所提起的诉讼、海事对物诉讼〔admiralty action in rem〕或对国家提起的诉讼〔claim against the Crown〕不得申请简易判决。在郡法院进行的诉讼中也有类似的程序。In law, a summary judgment (also judgment as a matter of law or summary disposition[1]) is a judgment (also, judgement) entered by a court for one party and against another party summarily, i.e., without a full trial. Summary judgments may be issued on the merits of an entire case, or on discrete issues in that case. The formulation of the summary judgment standard is stated in somewhat different ways by courts in different jurisdictions. In the United States, the presiding judge generally must find there is "no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law."[2] In the United Kingdom, in England and Wales, the court rules for a party without a full trial when "the claim, defence or issue has no real prospect of success and there is no other compelling reason why" judgment without trial should not be issued.

以下为相关双语示例，供参考：

The plaintiff may then have to apply to the court for summary judgment or even take the matter to trial, incurring much expense and suffering delay.

届时原告人便可能须向法庭申请简易判决，甚或须将此事提交法庭进行审讯，招致大量耗费及延误，而被告人在尝试逃避实时付款的法律责任时，也可能招致耗费。