Question

Judge Smith, an appellate judge reviewing a tort case, agrees with the majority of the court's opinion, but for different reasons. Judge Smith should write a

A) Majority opinion
B) Unanimous opinion
C) Concurring opinion
D) Dissenting opinion

Answer 1

Judge Smith should write a concurring opinion because she agrees with the majority decision but for differing reasons.

Step-by-step explanation:

If Judge Smith agrees with the majority decision in an appellate tort case but has different reasons for her agreement, she should write a concurring opinion. This is a type of opinion that is written by a judge who agrees with the outcome of a case but wants to express different reasons from those provided in the majority opinion. A dissenting opinion is written by a justice who disagrees completely with the majority, while the majority opinion represents the views of the majority of justices. To reach a decision, there must be at least five of the nine justices in agreement, unless there's a tie due to vacancy, absence, or abstention, where the lower court's decision stands.