material evidence
Tangible court exhibits
Material evidence is evidence that matters to the outcome of a case—facts significant enough to potentially influence a decision.
In legal contexts, evidence must be material to be admissible; irrelevant details don't qualify.
The phrase emphasizes substance over technicality: The prosecution presented material evidence linking the defendant to the scene.
Outside courtrooms, material evidence means proof that genuinely bears on a question.
- specimensRepresentative items for examination
- DNA sampleBiological material for testing
- bloodstainsDried hemoglobin discolorations
- blood spatterDispersed droplets of blood
- pottery shardsBroken ceramic fragments
hair · archival records · paper trail · print · artifacts · documents · fiber · blood · residue · bullet · murder weapon · chain of custody · fingerprints · surveillance footage · lab reports · knife · clothing · tangible
- evidenceproof, admissible, findings, inadmissible, results
- proofverification, attestation, corroboration, certification, documentation
- archaeologyexcavation, dig site, archaeologist, dig, archaeological digs
material evidenceoral testimony
Evidence delivered by speaking
testimony · witness testimony · testimonial evidence · hearsay · sworn statement
material evidencehearsay
Unverified secondhand information
hearsay evidence · secondhand account · rumor · conjecture · speculation