When all Supreme Court justices agree to an opinion, it is known as a __________ opinion.?

Asked by: Warren Purdy  |  Last update: April 20, 2026
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When all Supreme Court justices agree on a decision and its reasoning, it's called a unanimous opinion, which serves as the Court's official ruling and precedent, with the main opinion sometimes being referred to as a majority opinion if all agree, and Study.com.

When all Supreme Court justices agree to an opinion, it is known as a _____ opinion.?

Majority Opinions

Sometimes the majority opinion is a unanimous opinion, which means that all of the Justices agreed on the outcome and the reasoning. Ideological dissonance within the Court can make unanimity elusive in major cases. However, a famous example of a unanimous opinion is Brown v.

What is an agreeing opinion with the Supreme Court called?

A concurring opinion is an appellate opinion of one or more justices or judges which supports the result reached in a case for reasons not stated in the majority opinion.

What is a plurality opinion?

A plurality opinion is an appellate opinion without enough judges' votes to constitute a majority of the court.

What is the Supreme Court's decision called?

Opinion: When it decides a case, the court generally issues an opinion, which is a substantive and often lengthy piece of writing summarizing the facts and history of the case and addressing the legal issues raised in the case.

45 related questions found

What do the Supreme Court opinions mean?

Each opinion sets out the Court's judgment and its reasoning and may include the majority or principal opinion as well as any concurring or dissenting opinions. All opinions in a single case are published together and are prefaced by a syllabus prepared by the Reporter of Decisions that summarizes the Court's decision.

What does "remanded" legally mean?

To remand something means to send it back, or to return. The usual contexts in which this word are encountered are in the reversal of a lower court, or regarding the custody of a prisoner. A prisoner is said to be remanded when they are sent back into custody to await trial.

What are the 4 types of Supreme Court opinions?

Definition: Written statements explaining the Supreme Court's decision in a case. Opinions fall into four types: opinions of the Court (majority opinions), judgments of the Court (plurality opinions), concurring opinions, and dissenting opinions.

What is another word for plurality voting?

A qualified majority (also a supermajority) is a number of votes above a specified percentage (e.g. two-thirds); a relative majority (also a plurality) is the number of votes obtained that is greater than any other option.

What is the legal term for opinion?

Some common legal phrases that use the term “opinion” include: “Majority opinion” is a judicial opinion that is joined by more than half the judges deciding a case. “Concurring opinion,” or concurrence, is the separate judicial opinion of an appellate judge who voted with the majority.

What is the term for when justices agree with the majority opinion or decision of the Supreme Court but for different reasons?

concurring opinion. A concurring opinion is an opinion that agrees with the majority opinion but does not agree with the rationale behind it. Instead of joining the majority, the concurring judge will write a separate opinion describing the basis behind their decision.

What does unanimous decision mean in the Supreme Court?

Unanimous in part means that all justices joined at least part of the court's opinion, but at least one justice wrote separately as well. Fully unanimous means that all justices joined the court's opinion in full, and none wrote separately.

Can multiple judges write one?

Although the writing of a court's opinion is customarily and almost necessarily assigned to a single judge, it is ex- pected that all the judges on the panel that hears a case, or on the court, if the whole bench sits on the case, take an active part both in reaching the conclusion that decides the case and in agreeing ...

When a Supreme Court ruling is made, justices may write a ________ to show they disagree with the winning outcome.?

The most senior justice in the dissent can assign a dissenting Justice to write the dissenting opinion. If a Justice agrees with the outcome of the case, but not the majority's rationale for it, that Justice may write a concurring opinion. Any Justice may write a separate dissenting opinion.

What is an unsigned opinion?

So, in everyday language, “Per Curiam” means the opinion is issued by the entire Court, not by any single Justice. Journalists usually say these opinions are "unsigned." Whether or not the author is revealed, the votes of all the justices will be found at the end of the majority opinion.

What is dissenting opinion?

A dissenting opinion refers to an opinion written by an appellate judge or Supreme Court Justice who disagrees with the majority opinion in a given case. A party who writes a dissenting opinion is said to dissent.

What is another name for plurality?

dual many not alone not singular numerous.

What is another word for all votes?

A vote is unanimous when all voters are in agreement.

What is an example of a plurality opinion?

Example 1: U.S. Supreme Court Decision

Justices D and E write a separate opinion, agreeing that the law should be struck down, but based on a different legal rationale involving the First Amendment. How it illustrates the term: The opinion written by Justice A (joined by Justices B and C) is the plurality opinion.

What is the rule of 4 in the context of the Supreme Court?

On the face of it, the Supreme Court's “Rule of Four” is straightforward. Where the justices have discretion as to whether to hear an appeal, at least four of the Court's members must vote to grant a writ of certiorari, which facilitates a full review on the merits.

What is majority opinion?

In law, a majority opinion is a judicial opinion agreed to by more than half of the members of a court.

What are the four justices?

Current Members

  • John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States, ...
  • Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice, ...
  • Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Associate Justice, ...
  • Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice, ...
  • Elena Kagan, Associate Justice, ...
  • Neil M. Gorsuch, Associate Justice, ...
  • Brett M. Kavanaugh, Associate Justice,

Is a remand a final decision?

Only in cases when the administrator is essentially directed to rule for the plaintiff are remand orders deemed final and appealable. However, where further action is required, such as the need to consider additional evidence and engage in fact-finding, there is no final resolution.

Is remand a good or bad outcome?

A remand is generally a positive sign in an appeal, meaning a higher court or body (like the VA Board) sent your case back to a lower level for further action, often to fix errors, gather more evidence (like a new exam), or apply new laws, giving you a better chance for a favorable outcome and preserving your original effective date, though it means more time and patience are required. In criminal cases, however, being remanded (sent back to custody before trial) can be a negative outcome, potentially leading to prolonged detention, notes Barrow Cadbury Trust and The Justice Gap. 

What is the meaning of the word remend?

(transitive) To mend or repair again.