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

A. The chief justice usually writes the majority opinion if they are a part of the majority.
B. All justices who are a part of the majority are required to write a majority opinion.
C. A majority opinion is only written if the justices are in universal agreement on a case.
D. Justices who are not a part of the majority must eventually agree with the majority opinion.

A majority opinion is typically written by the chief justice when they are in the majority, and it does not require unanimous agreement among justices. Justices not in the majority write dissenting opinions rather than being required to agree with the majority. The main purpose is to clearly present the reasoning of the majority regarding the case's legal questions.

Explanation:

Understanding Majority Opinions

A majority opinion is a legal opinion agreed upon by more than half of the members of a court. Here are the characteristics that define a majority opinion:

The chief justice usually writes the majority opinion if they are a part of the majority. This is a common practice, and it helps to establish the court's reasoning and interpretation of the law in the case at hand.
Only justices in the majority are involved in writing the majority decision. Other justices may write their own dissenting opinions but are not required to agree with the majority.
A majority opinion does not require universal agreement; it can be written if a simple majority supports the decision, not necessarily full consensus.
Justices not part of the majority often provide their dissenting opinions, which express their differing views.

Therefore, the correct answer from the options provided is: The chief justice usually writes the majority opinion if they are a part of the majority.

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