A dissenting opinion is written by a justice who

• A. agrees with the majority but writes separately
• B. disagrees with the majority and explains why
• C. writes the official opinion of the Court
• D. writes the final ruling as per curiam

Answer: (B)

A dissenting opinion is written by a justice who disagrees with the majority and explains why. It presents an alternate legal argument and critique of the court’s reasoning, preserving differing views for future consideration even though the ruling itself binds in the moment. This is different from a concurring opinion, where a justice agrees with the outcome but still writes separately to add or tweak the reasoning. It’s also not the official court opinion (the majority) or a per curiam, which is an unsigned decision of the court.