Legal Definitions

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Opinion:  A judge's written explanation of a decision of the court or of a majority of judges. A dissenting opinion disagrees with the majority opinion because of the reasoning and/or the principles of law on which the decision is based. A concurring opinion agrees with the decision of the court but offers further comment.

Oral Argument:  An opportunity for lawyers to summarize their position before the court and also to answer the judges' questions.



The definitions of the legal terms on this page are provided by the United States Department of Justice.