Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Dictum: A judge sometimes says things that are not necessary to make a decision in a case. These things are called dictum. They are just the judge's opinion and do not have to be followed by other judges.
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.