For those interested, the distinction is between the "obiter dicta" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obiter_dictum http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obiter_dictum) and

For those interested, the distinction is between the "obiter dicta" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obiter_dictum http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obiter_dictum) and the "ratio decidendi" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratio_decidendi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratio_decidendi).