conflict of authority

conflict of authority definition - legal

n

  1. A difference of interpretation regarding a point of law between two or more courts, often courts of equal importance or rank (such as the highest appellate court in two states).
  2. A difference of opinion regarding a point of law between two or more legal scholars, especially on a point or in an area of law where there is little or no case law.

Webster's New World Law Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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