Legal Definitions - issue roll

An issue roll was a historical legal document used in English courts before its abolition in 1834. It served as a formal record where the specific points of disagreement, known as "issues," in a legal case were concisely written down. Its primary purpose was to clearly identify the precise matters that the court needed to resolve during a trial, ensuring all parties understood the central questions at stake.

• Imagine a dispute in the early 19th century between two neighbors, Mr. Davies and Mrs. Evans, over the exact boundary line separating their properties. Mr. Davies claims a certain patch of garden belongs to him, while Mrs. Evans insists it's part of her land. Before the case went to trial, the court clerk would have noted the core disagreement on the issue roll. The entry might read something like: "Whether the disputed patch of land lies within the legal boundaries of Mr. Davies's property or Mrs. Evans's property." This entry precisely defined the single question the judge or jury needed to answer to resolve their dispute.

• Consider a scenario from the same period where a merchant, Mr. Thompson, sued a customer, Ms. Green, for non-payment of goods. Ms. Green, however, argued that the goods delivered were not of the quality promised and therefore she was not obligated to pay the full amount. On the issue roll, the court would record the specific points of contention. For instance, one entry might be: "Whether the goods supplied by Mr. Thompson to Ms. Green met the agreed-upon standard of quality." Another might be: "Whether Ms. Green is legally obliged to pay the full invoice amount despite her claims regarding the goods' quality." These entries would guide the court in focusing on the critical legal and factual questions that needed to be decided.