What is obiter dicta in India?

What is dicta in a legal opinion?

A comment, suggestion, or observation made by a judge in an opinion that is not necessary to resolve the case, and as such, it is not legally binding on other courts but may still be cited as persuasive authority in future litigation. Also referred to as dictum, dicta, and judicial dicta.

What is res judicata?

Overview. Generally, res judicata is the principle that a cause of action may not be relitigated once it has been judged on the merits. "Finality" is the term which refers to when a court renders a final judgment on the merits.

What is the importance and value of obiter dicta?

These are vital to the court's decision itself. Obiter dicta are additional observations, remarks, and opinions on other issues made by the judge. These often explain the court's rationale in coming to its decision and, while they may offer guidance in similar matters in the future, they are not binding.

Can obiter dicta be binding?

Latin for “things said by the way” – observations by a judge or court about a point of law which may be interesting but do not form part of the decision in the case. An obiter dictum does not have precedential value and is not binding on other courts.

Can obiter dictum become ratio decidendi?

Technically, apart from the findings of material facts a decision can flow from two basis one ratio decidendi and the other being obiter dicta. ... In such a scenario not all can form the essence or the ratio decidendi of the judgment.

What is the importance of ratio decidendi?

The ratio decidendi is one of the most powerful tools available to a lawyer. With a proper understanding of the ratio of a precedent, the advocate can in effect force a lower court to come to a decision which that court may otherwise be unwilling to make, considering the facts of the case.

What does sub silentio meaning?

Legal Definition of sub silentio

: under or in silence : without notice being taken or without making a particular point of the matter in question overruled sub silentio this court's holding in Collova — State v.

Who can amend judicial precedent?

A higher court can overrule a decision made in an earlier case by a lower court eg, the Court of Appeal can overrule an earlier High Court decision.

What is the significance of obiter dictum?

"While obiter dictum is not binding on a lower court, yet it is highly persuasive and no law holds the view that it cannot persuade a lower Court in arriving at its decision. Therefore a lower court reserves a right as it is free to rely on obiter dictum in reaching a conclusion.

What is the role of the High Court?

The functions of the High Court are to interpret and apply the law of Australia; to decide cases of special federal significance including challenges to the constitutional validity of laws and to hear appeals, by special leave, from Federal, State and Territory courts.

What is the court a quo?

The High Court is a court of first instance (court a quo), which means that a case can be started in the High Court, but it also operates as a court of appeal for the Magistrate's Court within its area of jurisdiction.

What does dicta mean in English?

'something that has been said' in Latin; plural dicta) is an authoritative or dogmatic statement. In some contexts, such as legal writing and church cantata librettos, dictum can have a specific meaning.

Can you cite dicta?

Can you Cite Dicta as Authority? You can cite dicta—see Bluebook rule 10.6. 1. However, because a proposition that is dicta is not precedential or binding, it only serves as persuasive or non-binding authority.

How can judges avoid precedent?

In order to avoid following precedent, higher courts must meet certain criteria, so that judicial precedent as a system remains intact. One way of departing from a previous decision is to have the past decision declared as 'mistaken'. ... A final way in which courts can depart from precedent is to overrule past decisions.

What does dicta mean in law?

Obiter dicta (often simply dicta, or obiter) are remarks or observations made by a judge that, although included in the body of the court's opinion, do not form a necessary part of the court's decision.

What are the main sources of law?

What is obiter dicta is it necessary to be included in every judgement?

The Wharton's Law Lexicon (14th Ed. 1993) defines term "obiter dictum" as an opinion not necessary to a judgment; an observation as to the law made by a judge in the course of a case, but not necessary to its decision, and therefore of no binding effect; often called as obiter dictum, ; a remark by the way. 24.

What is Litis Pendentia?

Litis pendentia as a ground for the dismissal of a civil action refers to that situation wherein another action is pending between the same parties for the same cause of action, such that the second action becomes unnecessary and vexatious.

What is preclusion law?

Issue preclusion, also called collateral estoppel, means that a valid and final judgment binds the plaintiff, defendant, and their privies in subsequent actions on different causes of action between them (or their privies) as to same issues actually litigated and essential to the judgment in the first action.

What is issue estoppel?

The principle of issue-estoppel is simply this: that where an issue of fact has been tried by a competent court on a former occasion and a finding has been reached in favour of an accused, such a finding would constitute an estoppel or res judicata against the prosecution not as a bar to the trial and conviction of the ...