Memorandum opinion
| Judicial opinions & aggregates for official decisions (O.S-Federal) |
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Majority opinion |
In law, a memorandum opinion is usually an unpublished legal opinion that cannot be cited as precedent.[1] It is formally defined as: "[1] unanimous appellate opinion that succinctly states the decision of the court; an opinion that briefly reports the court's conclusion, usu. without elaboration because the decision follows a well-established legal principle or does not relate to any point of law." [2] There is no elaboration or explanation because the decision either follows a well-known legal principle or it does not relate to a point of law.[1] A memorandum opinion is also not subject to appeal.[1]
Generally, memorandum opinions follow ordinary rules, including the application of precedent and the rule of stare decisis.[3]