Finding a dispositive issue in a case can shorten—sometimes vastly shorten—the time you must devote to it. Frequently, the dispositive circumstance is a rule of law or a procedural rule. At other times, the conclusion to the contested case comes in the form of a single dispositive fact—a fact that, if proven, resolves the dispute on its own. The first step in the process is thorough prehearing review of the case, but you must be able to identify the dispositive issue when you see it.