Grounds of Opinion

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GROUNDS OF OPINION

The grounds of opinion are the stated reasons given by a court or a judge for the decision (or dissent) in a case. The grounds are the principles, precedents, and logical steps relied upon to support the conclusion. In the opinion of the Court, the grounds are the ratio decidendi, as opposed to the obiter dicta. In concurring and dissenting opinions, the grounds are, correspondingly, the points necessary to establish the desired result.

Dennis J. Mahoney
(1986)