Also known as: matter of law · matters-of-law · questions of law · legal questions
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
Questions or issues that courts decide by applying legal rules and standards rather than by weighing evidence of disputed facts.
Meredith Maxwell and other investors sued Metro Bank alleging uniform fee misrepresentations in account agreements. The court examined whether the interpretation of identical contract language presented questions of law common to the proposed class. Because the same legal standard governed every member's claim, the court found commonality satisfied and certified the class.
Miguel Mendoza signed a consumer loan with Midwest Airlines containing an arbitration clause that waived all class claims. The court reviewed the clause's commercial setting and substantive terms at formation. Finding the waiver unconscionable as a matter of law, the court severed that provision and enforced the remainder of the agreement.
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
Michelle Murphy sued a news outlet after a report accurately summarized her public statements but added protected commentary. The court assessed whether the publication was substantially true or opinion. Because the claim could not circumvent speech protections, the court dismissed it as a matter of law.
Mason McCarthy and other policyholders challenged Monarch Pharmaceuticals' uniform denial of coverage under identical plan language. The court weighed whether common legal questions of contract interpretation predominated over individual damages calculations. Finding predominance, the court certified the class under Rule 23(b)(3).
Ming Ma sued Morgan Financial after a disputed options trade. At the close of her case, the defense moved for judgment as a matter of law, arguing no reasonable jury could find breach on the undisputed contract terms. The court evaluated the legal sufficiency of the evidence before submission to the jury.
Maurice Marshall claimed breach of a supply contract with no factual disputes over delivery dates or payment amounts. The seller moved for summary judgment, asserting the contract language entitled it to judgment as a matter of law. The court granted the motion after confirming no genuine issue of material fact remained.
A court decides an issue as a matter of law when the facts are undisputed and only the application of legal standards remains. This occurs on motions for summary judgment under Rule 56, judgment as a matter of law under Rule 50, and unconscionability determinations under the UCC. The court resolves the legal question without weighing credibility or conflicting evidence.
Supporting sources
Common questions of law satisfy Rule 23(a)(2) when the same legal standard applies to every class member. Predominance under Rule 23(b)(3) requires those common legal questions to outweigh individual issues. Courts therefore examine whether contract interpretation or statutory application presents uniform legal questions across the class.
Supporting sources
No. When the alleged false light arises from substantially true reporting or protected opinion, the claim fails as a matter of law. Florida courts apply constitutional speech protections to bar circumvention through false light theories. The court resolves this legal barrier without jury fact-finding.
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The movant must demonstrate that no reasonable jury could find for the opposing party on the controlling legal standard. The motion must specify the judgment sought and the law and facts supporting it. The court evaluates legal sufficiency while viewing evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmovant.
Supporting sources
…the office of unemployment upon petition of the employer, and this determination is by § 6i made subject to judicial review on questions of law by the state Superior Court, with further right of appeal in the state Supreme Court as in other civil cases. In this case notice of assessment for the years in question was personally…