DILLON’S RULE

Dillon’s  rule.The  doctrine  that  a  unit  of  local  government  may  exercise  only  those  powers

that the state expressly grants to it, the powers necessarily and fairly implied from that grant, and

the powers that are indispensable to the existence of the unit of local government. • For the origins

of this rule, see 1 John F. Dillon, The Law of Municipal Corporations § 89, at 115 (3d ed. 1881).

[Cases: Municipal Corporations    57. C.J.S. Municipal Corporations §§ 104, 106, 108, 110–115,

117–118, 122, 137–138, 143, 145–146.] [Blacks Law 8th]