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What elements should you look for when researching a Supreme Court case?

There are many websites that provide basic information about important court cases. However, reading an actual court ruling can be challenging if you know little about the features of these documents. Use the slides below to become more familiar with the key parts of documents that describe Supreme Court case rulings.

ruling heading

Heading

At the top of any court ruling you find some very important information--the name of the plaintiff or petitioner (the person who filed the law suit) and the respondent or defendant (the person whom the lawsuit was filed against). You will also find the name of the court that decided the case, the date it was decided, and the official citation, or reference number, for the court case.

 

Female judge writing the verdict

Syllabus

The syllabus is not part of the official opinion, but rather it is a summary that is meant to help you better understand the opinion. The syllabus outlines the facts of the case and describes the path that the case followed on its way to the Supreme Court. The syllabus may also identify which judges or justices agree with the main opinion and which do not.

The syllabus for D.C. v. Heller explains that the case evolved from a law that essentially prohibited citizens from carrying handguns in Washington, DC. Mr. Heller filed a lawsuit claiming that the restrictions on handguns violated his Second Amendment rights. The lower court dismissed the case, but the appellate court reversed that decision and ruled that the law was, indeed, a violation of Mr. Heller's rights. The District of Columbia appealed the case to the Supreme Court.

 

Judge's gavel and books

The Main or Majority Opinion

The main opinion (also called the majority opinion) is the official ruling in the case. This passage announces the decision of the court and explains the rationale behind that decision.

There can be different types of main opinions. If the court is unanimous in its opinion and rationale, then one main opinion will be issued for the entire court. If the court is not unanimous in opinion or rationale, then there may be multiple parts to the main opinion. The majority opinion, in this case, might be written by several judges who agree with the decision, but use different rationales to get there.

The main opinion is binding and has the force of law.

 

3D illustration of 'DISSENTING OPINION' title on legal document

Concurring and Dissenting Opinions

Obviously, not all judges agree on all issues. In addition to the main opinion, judges may write a concurring or dissenting opinion to be published as part of the case.

A concurring opinion is an opinion that agrees with the main opinion, but it provides a different rational or makes additional points. Any information contained in a concurring opinion is not binding and does not have force of law. Not enough judges agreed with this rationale to make it binding.

A dissenting opinion is written by the judges who do not agree with the majority opinion. The dissenting opinion will lay out the reasons that some justices disagree with the majority opinion and what they believe the outcome of the case should be. Again, a dissenting opinion is not binding and does not have the force of law.

In Heller v. D.C., the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the appellate court, concluding that the ban on handguns violated the Second Amendment. The majority opinion argues that nothing in the Constitution is meant to limit gun ownership to members of the military, and it describes an interpretation of the history of the Second Amendment that was used to reach the decision. The main opinion does state that the right to own any type of gun at any time for any reason may be limited. For example, concealed weapons permit laws have been upheld as constitutional.

Justices who wrote the dissenting opinion for this case argued that the right to bear arms only applies to the military. Clearly they interpreted the text and the history of the Second Amendment differently.

 

Male Judge Writing On Paper In Courtroom

Content Components

When reading through a case, especially in the majority opinion, look for the following elements used to explain the details of the case.

Facts: Look for who, what, where, when and why. You should be able to tell the story of the case, including its path through the court system. This information is normally found in the syllabus or main opinion.
Legal dispute: What question is the court being asked to determine? In this case, the court was deciding whether restrictions that make it unlawful to carry a handgun violate the Second Amendment.
Disposition: The disposition is directed at the lower court that heard the case before it arrived at the Supreme Court. In the disposition, the justices might affirm (agree with the lower court), reverse (disagree with the lower court), or remand (send the case back to the lower court to fix something).
Law: The court will cite prior cases and laws as a basis for its opinion. This section can help you figure out what point the Supreme Court is trying to make with this opinion. In D.C. v. Heller, that point was that the government cannot pass so many regulations on handguns that it essentially bans them.


 

See what you can make of one of the Supreme Court cases you identified. Complete the worksheet section labeled Part 2: Analyze a Case.