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Parts of an Opinion

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MEDIA LAW (JOUR 3633

!o" o# the "a$e o# the U%S% Re"orter& the o##icial "lace where U'ited StateSu"re)e *ourt o"i'io' are re"orted% !he 'a)e o# the cae i called the +t,le%+

Mot re"orter tart with a ,'o"i o# the cae% DO-.! /uote or rel, o' the

,'o"i% It. 0ut what o)e editor wrote% Editor do'.t et Su"re)e *ourt

"recede't% 1ou ca' tell what the citatio' #or thi cae i 22 o' the le#t "a$e there"orter volu)e (45 i how' e#ore the i'itial U%S%7 o' the ri$ht& the t,le o#

the cae a'd the "a$e 'u)er (68% So the citatio' i 45 U%S% 68%

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O' the "a$e "recedi'$ the e$i''i'$ o# the o"i'io'& there will e a +cou't%+ !heeditor will tell ,ou who 0oi'ed i' the o"i'io'& who co'curred a'd who die'ted%

A 0utice who 0oi' i' the o"i'io' doe 'ot write her ow' reao' wh,% A 0utice

who co'cur a, he a$ree with the outco)e o# the )a0orit,. ruli'$& ut #or

di##ere't reao'% O#te'& he will write a co'curre'ce outli'i'$ thoe di##ere'treao'% A 0utice )a, die't& dia$reei'$ with oth the reult a'd the reao'i'$%

!hee are o#te' the )ot i'tereti'$ to read& ut die't DO -O! tate the law%

O'l, the )a0orit, (or "luralit, o"i'io' )ake law% B, the wa,& do'.t )ake the)orti#,i'$ )itake o# aki'$ wh, all the Su"re)e *ourt )e)er have 'a)e

that e$i' with J% I' the "arla'ce o# the court& J% ta'd #or Jutice%

9ere. where the o"i'io' actuall, e$i'& where it. a#e to tart /uoti'$% !he wa,

,ou k'ow: It a, +O"i'io' o# the *ourt+ at the to" o# the colu)'% Alo& the te;t

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tell ,ou who delivered the o"i'io' o# the *ourt& Mr% Jutice White

O'e adva'ta$e o# ui'$ the actual ook i' the law lirar,& a o""oed to "ri'ti'$,our cae #ro) the co)"uter& i that o)e o# the law cae re"orter "rovide

e;celle't $uide #or hel"i'$ ,ou #i'd the "art o# the o"i'io' that are i)"orta't to

,our "role)%

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I' the cae aove& ,ou were looki'$ #or co'te't2aed "eech re#ere'ce a'd thehead'ote told ,ou to look #or old#ace -o% 6% 9ere it i i' the te;t a'd ,ou ca'

ee the *ourt i 'ow writi'$ aout that a"ect o# the cae%

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At the e'd o# the cae& 0utice who have co'curred or die'ted i' the cae o#te'

"ulih their i'dividual o"i'io'% !o co'cur )ea' the 0utice a$ree with the

outco)e (#or i'ta'ce& that a tate law i u'co'titutio'al o# the )a0orit,& ut hea$ree #or a di##ere't reao'% !o die't )ea' to dia$ree with the )a0orit,.

o"i'io'% It i i)"orta't to read thee co'curre'ce a'd die't to #ull,u'derta'd the cae% A'd i' o'e i'ta'ce we.ll talk aout i' cla& a die'tactuall, hel"ed create the "revaili'$ law% !he i'$le eaiet wa, #or ,ou to tell

,ou are readi'$ a co'curre'ce or die't i that the writer will ue the i'$ular

#irt2"ero' "ro'ou' (I& )e& ),% I' the )a0orit, o"i'io'& the *ourt "eak i'"lural (we or )ore o#te' i' third "ero' (+the *ourt+ or +the )a0orit,%+

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9ere. a' e;a)"le o# how citatio' are i'erted i' the )iddle o# a e'te'ce i' a'

o"i'io'% So)eti)e it hel" to 0ut read over thee the #irt ti)e ,ou read the

o"i'io'& ut the, are i)"orta't ecaue ,ou.ll #i'd that all o# ,our tea). cae)a, cite the a)e "recede't% I' thi cae& however& Jutice Reh'/uit i 'ot

/uoti'$ "recede't ecaue he. /uoti'$ a die'ti'$ o"i'io' i' a "reviou cae%

Die't a'd co'curre'ce do'.t et "recede't%

9ere. a U%S% *ourt o# A""eal cae& #ro) the D%*% *ircuit& or Ditrict o#

*olu)ia% -ote how the citatio' di##er% !he re"orter o# thee cae i the

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9ere. a cae #ro) Ditrict *ourt& the trial level& i' the Weter' Ditrict o#Miouri% Becaue Miouri a'd Arka'a are i' the a)e #ederal circuit& i# thi

cae had ee' a""ealed& the "recede't et would a""l, to #ederal cae i'Arka'a% Jud$e rarel, write a' o"i'io' at the trial level% !he i)"orta't thi'$ to

re)e)er i that eve' i# a 0ud$e doe write a' o"i'io' at the trial level& 'o

"recede't i et% =recede't i o'l, et at a""eal level a'd hi$her%

9ere. a' e;a)"le o# a citatio' #ro) a tate cae% Ma', o# our cae will haveee' heard 'ot i' #ederal court (a all o# the aove were& ut i' tate court% >ee"

that i' )i'd a ,ou thi'k aout "recede't& u"o' which court the law will e

i'di'$%

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9ere. wh, I reco))e'd readi'$ ,our cae i' a ook rather tha' o' theco)"uter% I thi'k it. co'#ui'$ whe' the #low o# the o"i'io' i roke' ,

#oot'ote& ut i# that doe'.t other ,ou& it doe'.t )atter to )e whether ,ou read

,our cae o'li'e (or "ri't it #ro) there or $et it #ro) the re"orter% 1ou do&

however& 'eed to k'ow what re"orter it would e "ulihed i'& 'ot 0ut that it. o'Le;i%

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