disclaimers
Difference between information and opinion?
<p>I saw this disclaimer.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>This article provides information, rather than advice or opinion.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I could understand that "advice" aka legal advice may be scary since that could lead to liability for incomplete/bad legal advice but what is the difference between "information" and an "opinion"?</p>

<p>What one calls "information" another one calls "opinion". How could there be any "information" that is so neutral, factual, that it is not an "opinion"?</p>

<p>Are these terms defined in law somewhere?</p>

<p>A lawyer providing <strong>"information"</strong> is typically just describing the general state of the law. This usually entails a discussion of some legally significant event (such as a court ruling or enactment of legislation) and how it is usually going to be applied or interpreted, without consideration of the individual circumstances that might dictate how it would apply to any particular person.</p>

<p>A lawyer rendering <strong>"legal advice"</strong> or a <strong>"legal opinion"</strong> is giving you an assessment of how the law applies to the facts of your situation.</p>

<p>A <strong>"legal opinion"</strong> may also refer to a more formal type of legal advice that has certain legal effects. A government agency's lawyer may draft an opinion letter that binds the agency to implement the law in a manner consistent with the opinion, and taxpayers may be able to avoid penalties for improper payments if they do so in reliance on a formal opinion letter.</p>
