The binding part of a case:The ratio decidendi,loosely translated from the Latin as"the reason for the decision" is the part of the case which is binding on other judges.It<br>
is the statement of law which the judge applied to the facts and which caused the case to be decided as it was. Despite the great length of most cases,the ratio is often quite simple.For example,the ratio of Partridge vCrittenden(1968),is that "magazine advertisements.which describe goods and the price for which they will be sold,are not contractual offers but only invitations to<br>
treat."This is a straightforward statement of law. UItimately,the ratio of a case will be decided by future courts when they are considering whether or not they are bound by the case.<br>
    Statement of law which did not form the basis of the decision are known as obiter dicta(other things said) Obiter dicta are not binding on judges,no matter what court they were made in.<br>
    However,if the judges in the Supreme Court all express  the same obiter,then a lower court judgewould almost certainly follow the obitethe absence of a precedent which he or she was compelled to follow.<br>