obiter dictum
(noun)
a statement or remark in a court's judgment that is not essential to the disposition of the case.
Examples of obiter dictum in the following topics:
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Federalism and the Civil War: The Dred Scott Decision and Nullification
- The decision is often criticized as being obiter dictum because it went on to conclude that Congress had no authority to prohibit slavery in federal territories, and slaves could not be taken away from their owners without due process.