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material witness: person whose testimony on some issue has been judicially determined as both relevant and important.

maxillo facial: referring to the face, facial bones and jaw area.

medical malpractice: deviation by a health care provider from applicable standards of medical care and practice that a similar provider would exercise under the same circumstances, causing injury to the patient. Also referred to as medical negligence.

memorandum decision: a written opinion or decision of a court on a litigated question.

meniscus tear: a rupturing of one or more of the fibrocartlage strips in the knee called menisci.

mesothelioma: a type of cancer found in people who have been exposed to asbestos.

mistrial: a trial which has been terminated and declared void due to extraordinary circumstance, for example, prejudicial misconduct or a hung jury. A mistrial does not result in a judgment, but merely indicates a failure of trial, requiring the case to be retried.

moot: unsettled, undecided and not necessary to be decided.

motion: an oral or written request to the court for a ruling or order.

MRI Scan Magnetic Resonance Imaging: a scan that uses radio waves and a strong magnetic field to create images of the body’s organs.

MRSA: methicillin resistant staphyloccus aureus – a type of bacterium which is co