obiter dictum; dicta; digression
Legal term for a judge's incidental remark or opinion that is not essential to the decision and thus not binding precedent. Also used more broadly for a digression or aside in argument or writing.
The obiter dicta in the judgment have no binding legal force.
His paper contains many digressions that stray from the main topic.
From 傍 (side, incidental) + 論 (argument, discussion). The term is used in legal contexts to refer to remarks made 'on the side' of the main ruling.