What is ratio decidendi?

• A. The binding legal principle that explains the court's decision
• B. The persuasive but not binding part of the judgment
• C. The procedural steps of the trial
• D. The court's overall impression

Answer: (A)

Ratio decidendi is the binding legal principle that explains the court's decision. It’s the rule of law the court applies to the material facts to reach the outcome, and it creates precedent for future cases. You identify it by focusing on the part of the reasoning that directly supports why the decision happened—the actual legal rule the court says must be followed given the facts.

This is different from obiter dicta, which are incidental remarks not essential to the decision and therefore persuasive but not binding. Merely describing the procedural steps of the trial or the judge’s overall impression wouldn’t establish a binding rule. The ratio may be narrowly tailored to the case or establish a broader principle that guides later decisions.