A palpable tender gallbladder (hence the law cannot be applied) may be seen in acute acalculous cholecystitis, which commonly follows trauma or ischemia and causes acute inflammation of the gallbladder in the absence of gallstones.

Is gallbladder normally palpable?

Palpation of the gallbladder is performed alongside palpation of the liver. It lies adjacent to the liver at the right subcostal margin. The gallbladder is usually not palpable, but it may be in a diseased state.

Is gallbladder palpable in obstructive jaundice?

Courvoisier's sign (or law) describes an enlarged, palpable gallbladder in patients with obstructive jaundice caused by tumors of the biliary tree or by pancreatic head tumors. This kind of biliary obstruction evolves slowly. The gall bladder will be dilated, with a thin wall; it is not tender to the touch.