No. 25-1402October Term 2025Petition PendingUpdated Sep 2, 2026
Sweidy v. Spring Ridge Academy
Kimberly R. Sweidy, Petitioner v. Spring Ridge Academy, an Arizona Corporation, et al.
Kimberly Sweidy asks the Supreme Court to review the Ninth Circuit’s affirmance of summary judgment for Spring Ridge Academy and other defendants.
Case status
- Current stage
- Petition Pending
- Latest event
- Petition pending
- Next
- Awaiting an order on the petitionNo decision timeline until the Court agrees to hear the case.
- What it's about
Kimberly Sweidy asks the Supreme Court to review the Ninth Circuit’s affirmance of summary judgment for Spring Ridge Academy and other defendants. She argues that the district court relied on a ground the defendants had not raised without giving her notice or a chance to respond, and that the court of appeals improperly resolved factual issues against her and treated preserved claims as waived.
Question presented
1. Whether Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56(f)(3) and the Due Process Clause permit a district court to grant summary judgment against a non-moving party on a ground that the moving party never raised—i.e., a ground identified by the court sua sponte—without first providing notice and a reasonable opportunity to respond, and whether a court of appeals may affirm such a grant by holding that the non-movant “waived” her right to respond to a ground she was never given the opportunity to address in the first place. 2. Whether a court of appeals violates the Seventh Amendment and this Court’s decisions in Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242 (1986), and Tolan v. Cotton, 572 U.S. 650 (2014), when it affirms summary judgment by (a) drawing factual inferences against the non-moving party, (b) making its own factual findings based on a selective reading of the record, and (c) treating as “waived on appeal” claims the non-movant fully preserved and supported in the district court.
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit / Petition pending
- Area
Petition for review pending
Briefing
What it's about
Kimberly Sweidy has asked the Supreme Court to review a Ninth Circuit case involving summary judgment (a judge's decision without a trial). She argues that a court should not rely on a new ground it raised on its own without giving the opposing side notice and a chance to respond.
Argument
The case is pending, and oral argument has not been scheduled. The petition asks whether the lower courts denied Sweidy notice, a fair chance to respond, and proper treatment of factual disputes.
Impact
The case could affect people whose civil cases are ended before trial. For example, a person opposing summary judgment could lose a case without responding to the reason the judge used.
What's next
The Court may decide whether to grant certiorari (the Court's decision to hear the case) or take another scheduling action. No argument date or decision window is available yet.
What is at stake in Sweidy v. Spring Ridge Academy?
The case concerns whether a judge may grant summary judgment on a reason neither side raised without first allowing the losing side to respond.
Who could be affected by the Supreme Court's action in this case?
People in federal civil cases could be affected when judges consider ending cases before trial. Courts and lawyers could also face clearer notice requirements.
What happens next in Sweidy v. Spring Ridge Academy?
The Supreme Court will first consider whether to grant certiorari and hear the case. Oral argument has not been scheduled.
Documents
Activity
Docket activity2
AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
Sep 2, 2026 | Generated
Brief added: Petition
Jun 15, 2026 | Court records
Related cases
Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary materials plus reporting.
- Note
- Best-effort analysis: this explainer relies on a mix of primary materials and trusted secondary sources. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Sep 2, 2026
- Method
- Methodology