What does a motion for summary judgment require that a motion for judgment on the pleadings does not?

A motion for summary judgment requires evidence outside of the pleadings, which is fundamental to its purpose. This type of motion is generally filed after the pleadings have been submitted, and it seeks to establish that there are no genuine disputes regarding material facts, allowing the court to decide the case based solely on the evidence presented without the need for a trial.

In contrast, a motion for judgment on the pleadings is determined solely based on the pleadings already submitted by both parties, without any consideration of external evidence. It presupposes that even if all allegations in the pleadings are taken as true, the moving party is entitled to judgment based purely on legal grounds rather than factual disputes.

Thus, the need for external evidence in a motion for summary judgment distinguishes it from a motion for judgment on the pleadings, reinforcing why this choice is the correct answer.