A Restatement is a scholarly publication produced by the American Law Institute that organizes and summarizes common-law principles.
Restatements are not statutes and are not binding law by themselves. They are secondary legal authorities. Courts may rely on them because they provide a clear statement of legal rules drawn from many judicial decisions.
Restatements are organized by subject, such as torts, contracts, property, agency, and trusts. Each subject contains numbered sections addressing specific legal principles.
A Restatement becomes legally authoritative in a jurisdiction only when a court adopts its reasoning in a judicial decision or a legislature enacts a similar rule.
Example
Restatement (Second) of Torts ยง 324A addresses liability to third parties when someone performs services for another person but negligent performance creates a risk of harm to others.
