A statement is what, regardless of admissibility, if it could have affected the course or outcome of the official proceeding?

• A. It could have affected the course or outcome of the official proceeding.
• B. It is admissible in all courts.
• C. It is always excluded as evidence.
• D. It must be sworn under oath.

Answer: (A)

Materiality is the idea at play: a statement is material if it could have affected the course or outcome of the official proceeding. This focuses on its importance to the case, not on whether the statement would be admissible under evidentiary rules. It means the information is potentially influential to the decision, even though admissibility may depend on other rules. The other options mix in admissibility or form requirements (admissible in all courts, always excluded, or sworn under oath) which are separate from whether the statement could impact the proceeding. Therefore, describing the statement as something that could have affected the course or outcome correctly captures the concept of materiality.