A superior court may not, based on a local rule, decline to hear a summary judgment motion that meets statutory criteria, Div. Two of the Fourth District Court of Appeal held in an opinion which the California Supreme Court yesterday ordered to be published.

Courts have long interpreted the “jury of peers” standard to mean a jury “of equals,” taken randomly from a pool that includes “a broad spectrum of the population, particularly of race, national origin and gender,” according to Law.com’s online legal dictionary. But while about 9 out of 10 defendants nationwide are too poor to afford lawyers, most jurors aren’t in that low of an income bracket.

The court will hear 11640 Woodbridge Condominium Homeowners’ Association v. Farmers Insurance Exchange to resolve a conflict (in California and also nationwide) about property insurance coverage for water damage that occurs during roof repairs.