issue

An issue is a point of controversy or disagreement between parties and is submitted to a court or other legal tribunal for resolution. An issue can be a question of fact or law , or both, and can arise in various stages of a legal proceeding , such as during pretrial discovery , at trial , or on appeal .

In a criminal trial, one of the issues in dispute may be whether the defendant committed the alleged offense . In a civil lawsuit, an issue may be whether the defendant breached a contract or acted negligently . Issues can also arise in administrative proceedings , such as disputes between regulatory agencies and businesses.

[Last reviewed in March of 2023 by the Wex Definitions Team ]

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