Legal Definitions - point of law

A point of law refers to a specific legal question or rule that needs to be resolved or applied in a court case. Unlike factual disputes, which focus on what happened, a point of law centers on what the law means or how it should be interpreted in a given situation. It is a legal principle or rule whose application or interpretation is central to the court's decision.

Here are some examples:

• Example 1 (Contract Law):

  Imagine two companies are in a dispute over a software development contract. The contract includes a clause stating that "all intellectual property created during the project shall belong exclusively to the client." When the project is complete, the developer claims ownership of certain underlying code modules, arguing that the clause only applies to the final product, not the foundational components. The court must decide the legal interpretation of the contract's intellectual property clause.

  This is a point of law because the court is not debating whether the clause exists or what words it contains (those are facts), but rather the legal meaning and scope of that clause under contract law.

• Example 2 (Constitutional Law/Civil Rights):

  A group of citizens challenges a new city ordinance that prohibits all public demonstrations within a two-block radius of the city hall, arguing it violates their First Amendment right to freedom of speech. The city argues the ordinance is a reasonable "time, place, and manner" restriction necessary for public safety.

  The question of whether the ordinance unconstitutionally infringes on free speech rights or is a permissible restriction is a point of law. The court must interpret the First Amendment and relevant legal precedents to determine the ordinance's legality.

• Example 3 (Statutory Interpretation):

  A state law mandates that all "commercial vehicles" must undergo an annual safety inspection. A small business owner uses a large SUV primarily for personal use but occasionally to transport tools and materials for work. The owner receives a citation for not having a safety inspection, and they argue their SUV is not a "commercial vehicle" under the statute.

  The court must determine the precise legal definition of "commercial vehicle" as intended by the legislature in that specific statute. This interpretation is a point of law because it involves understanding and applying the law's language to a specific set of facts.

A reserved point of law is a specific type of legal question that arises during a trial, which the judge deems significant or complex enough to postpone a final decision on it. The judge "reserves" the point, meaning they set it aside for further argument or consideration later, often after all testimony and factual evidence have been presented. This allows the trial to continue without interruption, ensuring a smoother flow of proceedings.

• Example (Reserved Point of Law):

  During a personal injury trial, the plaintiff's attorney attempts to introduce a specific piece of expert testimony. The defense attorney immediately objects, arguing that the expert's methodology is not scientifically sound and therefore inadmissible under the rules of evidence. The judge acknowledges the complexity of the legal argument regarding the expert's admissibility but, to avoid delaying the testimony of several other witnesses who are present, states, "I will reserve my ruling on the admissibility of this expert's testimony until after all other witnesses have testified. We will address this legal point in detail during a separate hearing tomorrow morning."

  In this scenario, the question of the expert testimony's admissibility is a point of law. By postponing the decision to keep the trial moving, the judge has made it a reserved point of law.