What is Material Evidence?
Evidence that is relevant and also important enough to be allowed into evidence.
Examples and Case Studies
Real-Life Example
Consider a scenario in a fraud trial where the prosecution presents financial records showing the defendant's transactions. These records directly relate to the alleged fraudulent activity and are therefore considered material evidence because they are both relevant and significant to the case.
Case Study: State v. Anderson
In the case of State v. Anderson, Anderson was on trial for robbery. The prosecution introduced a surveillance video from the crime scene showing Anderson committing the robbery. The court admitted the video as material evidence because it was directly relevant to proving Anderson's presence and actions during the crime.
Case Study: Johnson v. ABC Corp.
In Johnson v. ABC Corp., Johnson sued ABC Corp. for breach of contract. During the trial, Johnson presented email correspondence between him and ABC Corp.'s representatives discussing the terms of the contract. These emails were admitted as material evidence because they were directly related to the terms and negotiations of the disputed contract.
Legal Requirements
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| Relevance | The evidence must relate directly to the case and the issues being decided. |
| Significance | The evidence must be important enough to influence the outcome of the case. |
| Admissibility | The evidence must meet legal standards for being allowed in court. |
| Probative Value | The evidence must have the ability to prove something important in the case. |
Common Issues and Disputes
Common issues in cases involving material evidence often include:
- Determining whether the evidence is sufficiently relevant to the case.
- Assessing the significance of the evidence in influencing the case's outcome.
- Ensuring the evidence meets legal standards for admissibility in court.
- Balancing the probative value of the evidence against potential prejudicial effects.
Further Reading
For more detailed information, see our related Evidence terms:
Pass the Bar, Guaranteed
BarPrepHero Premium offers the most complete collection of real bar exam questions licensed directly from NCBE (the organization that writes the exam).