Final answer:
The majority opinion is the Court's official stance and sets the precedent. A concurring opinion agrees with the verdict but offers different reasoning, while a dissenting opinion disagrees with the majority and provides alternative viewpoints.
Step-by-step explanation:
Differences Between Dissenting Opinion, Concurring Opinion, and Majority Opinion
The majority opinion is the official opinion of the Court that explains the reasoning behind the Court's decision. This opinion is formed by a majority of the justices (at least five out of nine).
A concurring opinion is written by a justice who agrees with the overall conclusion of the majority opinion but wants to express a different rationale or to highlight a different aspect of the case.
A dissenting opinion is an opinion written by one or more justices who disagree with the majority opinion. This opinion is significant for the insight it provides into the Court's deliberations and as a potential basis for future legal arguments to overturn the precedent.
The official opinion of the Court is always the majority opinion, which sets the precedent for future cases and represents the binding decision of the Court.