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College

Which of the following is a characteristic of a majority opinion?

A. All justices who are a part of the majority are required to write a majority opinion.

B. Justices who are not a part of the majority must eventually agree with the majority opinion.

C. A majority opinion is only written if the justices are in universal agreement on a case.

D. The chief justice usually writes the majority opinion if they are a part of the majority.

Answer :

Final answer:

In the context of a majority opinion, the chief justice often writes the opinion if they are part of the majority. Not all justices in the majority individually write opinions, and dissenting justices are not required to agree. A majority opinion reflects the decision of more than half the justices, not universal agreement.


Explanation:

Understanding Majority Opinions in Court


A majority opinion is an essential component of judicial decision-making in the U.S. Supreme Court. This opinion represents the views of more than half of the justices on a particular case, and in most instances, it is written to provide reasons for the court's decision.



  • It is important to note that not all justices in the majority are required to write a majority opinion. Instead, one justice is selected to represent the group in writing the opinion.

  • Justices who do not agree with the majority may choose to write a dissenting opinion, but they are not obliged to agree with the majority opinion at any point.

  • A majority opinion does not require universal agreement among the justices; rather, it reflects the collective judgment of a majority.

  • Typically, if the chief justice is part of the majority, they will assign the task of writing the majority opinion to themselves or choose another justice.


In conclusion, the correct characteristic from your options is that the chief justice usually writes the majority opinion if they are a part of the majority.


Learn more about majority opinion here:

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