Legal Definitions - dictum

Definition: Dictum is a legal term that refers to any statement or opinion made by a judge that is not necessary to make a decision in a case. It comes from the Latin phrase "obiter dictum."

For example, if a judge is deciding a case about a car accident, they may make a statement about the importance of wearing seat belts. This statement is not necessary to make a decision about who is at fault for the accident, but it is still a dictum.

Dictum is different from a legal precedent, which is a decision made by a higher court that must be followed by lower courts in similar cases. Dictum does not have the same binding power as a legal precedent, so other courts are not required to follow it.