part of a legal ruling that is not directly decided as the issue that was brought before a court
an opinion voiced by a judge on a point of law not directly bearing on the case in question and therefore not binding
(Latin) An incidental remark, an opinion expressed by a judge, but not judiciously An obiter dictum has no authority beyond that of deference to the wisdom, experience, and honesty of the person who utters it; but a judicial sentence is the verdict of a judge bound under oath to pronounce judgment only according to law and evidence