Also known as: obliquus · indirect
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
An adjective describing a relationship or action that proceeds by indirect or collateral means rather than by direct descent or immediate causation.
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
Otto Osman, a lawyer seeking appointment as a city attorney, contributed to the mayor's reelection campaign through an intermediary firm. The contribution was oblique because it was structured to avoid direct disclosure while still aiming to secure the government legal engagement.
Opal Okoro was arrested without probable cause. Three days later, after an intervening valid warrant and new investigation, police found incriminating documents. The connection was oblique because the taint from the initial illegality had dissipated through intervening circumstances.
Olive Okafor challenged a zoning rule that disproportionately affected minority housing projects. The village's decision process created an oblique barrier because the stated neutral criteria masked the discriminatory effect on development.
Olivia Owens, a limited-purpose public figure, sued a publisher for oblique references implying professional misconduct. The statements avoided naming her directly yet reached the same audience through contextual implication.
Orion Orlov, a public official, faced oblique accusations in a newspaper editorial that suggested corruption without stating explicit facts. The statements operated indirectly by inviting readers to infer wrongdoing from reported circumstances.
Omega Energy placed component parts into the national market knowing they would reach California. The resulting injury created an oblique basis for personal jurisdiction because the defendant's contacts flowed indirectly through the distribution chain rather than through direct sales.
Oblique evidence relies on circumstantial inferences rather than eyewitness accounts or direct proof. In negligence analysis, it can still establish that a defendant's conduct created an unreasonable risk through ongoing conditions or foreseeable third-party actions.
An oblique heir inherits through a collateral line, such as a sibling or cousin, rather than by direct descent from the decedent.
No. Courts examine whether the connection between the illegality and the evidence has become sufficiently attenuated through time, intervening circumstances, or lack of flagrancy to purge the taint.
…have some real or imagined impact upon their marital happiness. But we are not prepared to say that the bare allegation of so indirect an injury is sufficient to present an actual case or controversy. Younger v. Harris , 401 U. S., at 41-42; Golden v. Zwickler , 394 U. S., at 109-110; Abele v. Markle , 452 F. 2d,…