In appellate decisions, which document contains the court's official ruling?

• A. Concurring opinion
• B. Dissenting opinion
• C. Majority opinion
• D. Per curiam order

Answer: (C)

The main idea being tested is which document in an appellate decision contains the court’s binding ruling and the reasoning behind it. In most appellate cases, the court that issues the decision prints a majority opinion written by judges who form the majority. This document announces the court’s ruling on the case and sets forth the legal reasoning that supports that ruling. That combination—holding and rationale—constitutes the court’s official decision and holds the force of precedent for the parties and for future cases.

Other writings accompany the decision but don’t carry the controlling ruling in the same way. A concurring opinion is written by a judge who agrees with the outcome but wants to express different reasoning or emphasize a point. A dissenting opinion is written by judges who disagree with the majority’s result. A per curiam order is typically a brief, unsigned decision by the court, often addressing routine matters and not providing a full written rationale. While these documents can accompany a decision, they do not replace the official ruling found in the majority opinion.