Material fact

What material fact means

Put simply, material fact is part of the working vocabulary of a civil case. The short definition above covers the usual meaning. Still, a specific rule, statute or contract can give it a narrower meaning. For that reason, check how it is used in your own documents.

Where material fact comes up

For example, the term appears in these procedures:

• Motion for Summary Judgment (Fed. R. Civ. P. 56): a motion asserting there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.

How to research the term

Start with the primary source. For example, if material fact appears in a federal rule, read the rule itself and its official notes. After that, check your court’s local rules and any standing orders from the judge. In addition, search recent decisions from your own state or federal district. They show how courts read material fact in practice. Because state rules often differ, our state procedures guide links to each state’s official rules. Above all, make sure the version you read is still in force.

You can read the official rule text online for free.

Related legal terms

• Summary judgment: judgment without a trial because there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.
• Genuine dispute: a real disagreement about a fact, supported by evidence, that a reasonable fact-finder could resolve either way.
• Burden of proof: the obligation to prove a fact or claim to the required standard.
• Preponderance of the evidence: the usual standard of proof in civil cases: the fact is more likely true than not.
• Damages: money awarded to compensate for a loss or injury.

Why precise terms matter

Legal words often look like everyday words, but they can carry a precise meaning. Because of that, a small misreading can change how you understand a deadline, a duty or a right. Our glossary keeps each definition short and links it to the procedures where it matters.