Thus far, all discussion has centred on what we might term the “Orthodox” Jewish legal tradition. In the late 19th century, new organized movements of Judaism began to emerge from central European and American Jewish communities, beginning with Reform Judaism (and later, Conservative Judaism, Reconstructionist Judaism and other movements). These movements did/do not necessarily accept the Talmud as authoritative or the decisions of contemporary Orthodox decisors as binding. Some of these movements have issued responsa based on their interpretation of Jewish law and ethics.
A brief note about terminology: in the context of Conservative Judaism, the term "conservative" is not indicative of any political ideology; rather, it indicates an approach to Jewish law that is more traditional than that of Reform Judaism.