Definition
Judicial commentary in a ruling that isn't essential to the decision, aka the judge going off on a tangent that won't actually affect your case.
Example Usage
The judge's dicta about general principles of contract law was interesting but didn't directly apply to this dispute.
Origin
From Latin 'obiter' (in passing) and 'dictum' (something said)
Fun Fact
While dicta aren't legally binding, they can heavily influence future decisions if the judge really wants to guide the law in a particular direction.
Source: Legal Reasoning and Jurisprudence
Related Terms
Translate This Term
See “Dicta (or Obiter Dictum)” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
Try the Translator