Page:Dupree v. Younger.pdf/3

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delivered the opinion of the Court.

In Ortiz v. Jordan, we held that an order denying summary judgment on sufficiency-of-the-evidence grounds is not appealable after a trial. 562 U. S. 180 (2011). Thus, a party who wants to preserve a sufficiency challenge for appeal must raise it anew in a post-trial motion. The question presented in this case is whether this preservation requirement extends to a purely legal issue resolved at summary judgment. The answer is no.

The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure empower district courts to direct the entry of judgment before, during, or after trial. Before trial, the defendant can file a motion to dismiss the complaint based on certain defenses, such as lack of jurisdiction or failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Fed. Rule Civ. Proc. 12(b). If the district court denies that motion (or any other Rule 12 motion), the case advances to discovery for the parties to marshal evidence supporting their claims and defenses. During or