Legal Definitions - material issue

Definition: A point in dispute between two or more parties that must be decided in order to resolve a controversy.

Example: In a court case, a material issue could be whether or not the defendant was present at the scene of the crime. This is a crucial point that must be determined in order to decide the outcome of the case.

This term is important in legal proceedings because it helps to identify the key points that need to be addressed in order to reach a resolution. Without identifying material issues, it would be difficult to determine what evidence needs to be presented and what arguments need to be made in order to support a particular position.