Final answer:
A justified departure from GAAP is most likely to result in an unqualified audit opinion with an explanatory paragraph or a qualified opinion, indicating that the financial statements are true and fair except for the explained departure.
Step-by-step explanation:
A justified departure from Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) may lead to different types of auditor opinions. However, option c is the most likely outcome: An unqualified audit opinion with an explanatory paragraph before the opinion paragraph or a qualified opinion. This indicates that except for the area where the departure from GAAP has occurred, the financial statements generally present a true and fair view of the financial position of the company.
The reasoning behind this is that a departure from GAAP can be justified if following GAAP would otherwise lead to a misleading financial statement. In such cases, auditors may still issue an unqualified opinion but will include an additional paragraph explaining the situation and the reason for the departure. If the effect is more significant but not pervasive to allover financial statements, a qualified opinion may be issued instead.
A disclaimer of an audit opinion or an adverse opinion (options a and b, respectively) typically result from more significant issues than a justified departure from GAAP. These types of opinions are issued when the auditor does not have enough information to form an opinion or when the financial statements contain deviations from GAAP that affect the financial statements as a whole and are not justified or properly disclosed.