joinder of issue

Joinder of issue is the stage in a lawsuit when the defendant has contested some or all of the plaintiff’s factual allegations or when it is established which legal questions are disputed. At this stage, each party focuses on contesting specific questions of fact or law raised by the other. When an issue is "joined," both parties acknowledge that the matter is in dispute. This point is generally reached after the completion of pretrial pleadings or discovery.

[Last reviewed in September of 2025 by the Wex Definitions Team] 

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