What is a plurality opinion?

• A. Represents a tie.
• B. Is the opinion with the most authoring judges.
• C. Agreed to by less than a majority as to reasoning, but agreed to by a majority as to the result.
• D. Agreed to by a majority as to both result and reasoning.

Answer: (C)

A plurality opinion arises when the court reaches a decision that a majority agrees with, but no single opinion presents the reasoning supported by a majority. In other words, more judges join one particular reasoning than any other, yet that reasoning isn’t supported by a majority of the Court. The result is supported by a majority, but the viewpoints explaining that result don’t share a common majority rationale. This is why the correct description is: agreed to by less than a majority as to reasoning, but agreed to by a majority as to the result. There may also be concurring opinions with different rationales or a dissent, but none of those alone carries a majority of justifications.