When can summary judgment be granted in New York civil cases?

Summary judgment can be granted in New York civil cases when there is no genuine issue of material fact. This means that the court determines there are no relevant facts in dispute that would necessitate a trial, allowing the case to be resolved based solely on the legal issues involved.

In essence, if one party can show that there is overwhelming evidence supporting their position, and the other party cannot provide sufficient evidence to contest this, the court can decide in favor of the party seeking summary judgment without the need for a trial. This emphasizes the efficiency of the judicial process by avoiding unnecessary trials when the outcome is clear based on the evidence presented in the motion for summary judgment.

The other options do not accurately reflect the requirements for granting summary judgment. For instance, summary judgment cannot simply be based on insufficient evidence to proceed or the fact that a trial date is set. Moreover, reaching a settlement agreement does not relate to summary judgment, as it implies that the parties have resolved their dispute outside of court. Thus, the key factor for summary judgment is the absence of genuine material facts in dispute, making the second choice the correct answer.