Ratio Decidendi Definition Explained

The ratio decidendi refers to the legal principle or rule of law upon which a court's decision is based. It forms the binding part of a judgment.

Analyzing the Definition

• Option 1: "Statement of law applied to the legal problems disclosed by facts." This option precisely describes the core function of the ratio decidendi. It is the legal rule that the court identifies and applies specifically to the facts of the case before it.
• Option 2: "Finding of material facts, direct and inferential, based on earlier case law." This relates to the factual matrix of the case, not the legal principle derived from it.
• Option 3: "The rule of law which others regard as being of binding authority." While this describes a key characteristic and consequence of the ratio decidendi (its binding nature), Option 1 offers a more direct definition of what the ratio itself *is* in relation to the case facts.
• Option 4: "All of the above." Since Options 2 and 3 are not the primary definition according to the context, this option is incorrect.

Therefore, the most accurate definition provided is the statement of law applied to the specific legal problems presented by the case's facts.