A ruling by a court that determines the outcome of a case. The decision may be based on evidence presented at trial, a jury’s verdict or a judge’s finding of fact. The decision of the court is binding on lower courts unless it is overturned by a higher court or by legislative statute. The legal system relies on a body of case law that is known as precedent.
A written explanation of the decision made by the court. The Supreme Court writes its opinions in a series of documents known as a “syllabus.” A court of appeals judges may write a separate opinion if they disagree with the decision of the majority of the other judges. Justices who write a majority or dissenting opinion must explain why they agree or disagree with the decision of the majority.
Throughout the case, the petitioner and respondent each file briefs that outline their side of the story. If the case involves issues of public interest, groups that are not directly involved in the case can file a brief known as an amicus curiae (Latin for “friend of the court”). The Solicitor General appears at each oral argument to represent the U.S. Government in cases where the Government is a party.
After the Justices have finished their arguments, they vote in order of seniority. The Chief Justice casts the first vote, and each Justice votes in turn until the last justice has voted. Once the votes are tallied, the Justices write their decisions. The Justice writing the majority opinion must ensure that the other Justices who agreed with him or her are aware of the reasoning behind the decision, and the Justices who wrote a dissenting opinion must take into consideration the comments of the others who voted in the majority. The final decision is a published document, sometimes with footnotes and sometimes without.
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