In two pages issued Monday—a mere 429 words—the federal judge overseeing a potentially precedent-setting enforcement action involving internet connected devices not only turned back the parties' cross-motions for summary judgment, but managed to offer up some commentary on the often fruitless nature of summary judgment practice.

U.S. District Judge James Donato, who has been overseeing the Federal Trade Commission's case against Taiwan-based computer networking equipment maker D-Link Corp, tossed aside both sides' motions, noting that summary judgment briefing alone had taken up more than 100 pages.

“While sheer size alone is not fatal to a summary judgment motion, the parties' papers demonstrate a panoply of genuine disputes of material fact that will require a trial, and an opportunity to evaluate witness credibility, to properly resolve,” Donato wrote.