
What does per curiam mean in legal terms?
An opinion from an appellate court that does not identify any specific judge who may have written the opinion. A per curiam decision is a court opinion issued in the name of the Court rather than specific judges. Most decisions on the merits by the courts take the form of one or more opinions written and signed by individual justices.
What is a perper curiam decision?
per curiam. adj. Latin for "by the court," defining a decision of an appeals court as a whole in which no judge is identified as the specific author.
What is per curium?
[Latin, By the court.] A phrase used to distinguish an opinion of the whole court from an opinion written by any one judge. Sometimes per curiam signifies an opinion written by the chief justice or presiding judge; it can also refer to a brief oral announcement of the disposition of a case by the court that is unaccompanied by a written opinion.
What is the difference between per curiam and unanimous decisions?
Other types of decisions can also reflect the opinion of the entire court, such as unanimous decisions in which the opinion of the court is expressed, with an author listed. The term per curiam is Latin for "by the court". The decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court are usually not per curiam.

Why is per curiam used?
Traditionally, the per curiam opinion was used to signal that a case was uncontroversial, obvious, and did not require a substantial opinion.
What does it mean when we say a decision was made per Incuriam?
Per incuriam, literally translated as "through lack of care", refers to a judgment of a court which has been decided without reference to a statutory provision or earlier judgment which would have been relevant.
How do you say per curiam?
0:320:47How to Pronounce Per Curiam (Real Life Examples!) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWhat is called a per curium. Decision this is usually a collectively authored simple rundown. ItMoreWhat is called a per curium. Decision this is usually a collectively authored simple rundown. It didn't it was a percurian opinion.
What does affirmed per curiam mean?
Per curiam affirmed (PCA) means that the appeals court affirms the trial court's decision without issuing an opinion or explanation of its own. Instead, the court of appeals issues just one word, “affirmed,” as the opinion of the whole court.
Why do courts issue per curiam opinions?
The Court may also dispose of cases in per curiam opinions, which do not identify the author. These opinions frequently resolve cases summarily, often without oral argument, but they have been issued in important argued cases, such as Bush v. Gore, 531 U. S. 98, and the campaign finance case of Buckley v.
Does per curiam mean unanimous?
In law, a per curiam decision (or opinion) is a ruling issued by an appellate court of multiple judges in which the decision rendered is made by the court (or at least, a majority of the court) acting collectively (and typically, though not necessarily, unanimously).
What is a unanimous opinion in court?
That means that a Court of Appeals case can be decided by two out of three judges, and a Supreme Court case can be decided by four out of seven justices. Judges or justices who disagree with the majority decision are said to dissent from the opinion. Criminal Appeals Process, Uncategorized.
What is sua sponte in law?
Latin for "of one's own accord; voluntarily." Used to indicate that a court has taken notice of an issue on its own motion without prompting or suggestion from either party. As a general rule, where grounds for dismissal exist, an action is subject to dismissal on a court's own motion.
What does en banc mean in legal terms?
on the benchFrench for "on the bench." The term is used when all judges of a particular court hear a case.
What are the 4 types of Supreme Court opinions?
Information About OpinionsBench Opinions. ... Slip Opinions. ... Preliminary Prints. ... Bound Volumes.
What is a per curiam opinion quizlet?
per curiam opinion. A brief, unsigned opinion issued by the Supreme Court to explain its ruling. brief. a written statement setting forth the legal arguments, relevant facts, and precedents supporting one side of a case.
What does it mean when a decision is affirmed?
Affirmed - the judgment of the lower court is correct and should stand. Affirmed in part - a portion of the judgment of the lower court was affirmed. Dismissed - an order that disposes of the matter without a trial of the issues involved on their merits.
What is Article 141 of the Indian constitution?
Article 141 Constitution of India: Law declared by Supreme Court to be binding on all courts. The law declared by the Supreme Court shall be binding on all courts within the territory of India.
What is the meaning of locus standi in law?
plural loci standi uk/ˌləʊ.saɪ ˈstænd.aɪ/ us/ˌloʊ.saɪ ˈstænd.aɪ/ the right or ability to bring a legal action to a court of law, or to appear in a court. Taking legal action.
What does sub silentio meaning in legal terms?
under or in silenceLegal Definition of sub silentio : under or in silence : without notice being taken or without making a particular point of the matter in question overruled sub silentio this court's holding in Collova — State v.
What is ratio decidendi and obiter dicta?
Ratio decidendi of a judgment may be defined as the principles of law formulated by the Judge for the purpose of deciding the problem before him whereas obiter dicta means observations made by the Judge, but are not essential for the decision reached.
What is Per Curiam?
The per curiam meaning refers to a written decision made on behalf of the entire court, rather than signed by one or several named judges. For example, per curiam decisions do not typically occur at the U.S. Supreme Court because one of the judges will typically sign off on every decision. Even if the Court makes a unanimous ruling, this does not make it a per curiam decision. The decision must be unsigned for it to count as one of the relevant per curiam examples.
What is the most famous per curiam case?
Perhaps the most famous example of per curiam to occur at the U.S. Supreme Court was Bush v. Gore (2000). In this case, the Florida Division of Elections reported that the Republican Presidential candidate, Governor George W. Bush, had won the presidential election in November of 2000. However, he only won by less than 0.5 percent of the votes, which, by law, triggers an automatic recount. Two days later, when the recount was complete in all but one county, Bush’s margin of victory had fallen.
What is the difference between en banc and en banc?
The only difference here is that there are more judges present in an en banc session who can render a unanimous decision without specifying which judges authored it. Courts typically hold en banc sessions on specific issues when a case is particularly important or complex.
What is an en banc case?
The term en banc refers to a situation wherein all of the judges of a court hears a case, rather than selecting certain justices to hear it. An en banc session can still result in a per curiam decision. The only difference here is that there are more judges present in an en banc session who can render a unanimous decision without specifying which judges authored it. Courts typically hold en banc sessions on specific issues when a case is particularly important or complex.
What does "per curiam affirmed" mean?
Per Curiam Affirmed. When a decision is per curiam affirmed, this means that a court affirms the decision of a lower court to be correct without naming names. When a court makes a per curiam affirmed decision, it typically does not offer an opinion past the affirmation. This is perhaps a way for the court to cut back on what are already scarce ...
What is a per curiam decision?
The term per curiam refers to a decision made by a court of numerous judges, but without a particular author’s name attached to the decision. For example, per curiam decisions are typically short and concern issues that the court does not consider to be controversial in nature. However, this is not always the case, ...
Which state courts have per curiam cases?
Two courts that often issue per curiam examples are the Supreme Courts of California and Florida, and the appellate courts in New York. For example, per curiam decisions issued by the Supreme Court of Florida typically concern the death penalty, even if concurring or dissenting opinions exist.
What is Per Curiam?from legaldictionary.net
The per curiam meaning refers to a written decision made on behalf of the entire court, rather than signed by one or several named judges. For example, per curiam decisions do not typically occur at the U.S. Supreme Court because one of the judges will typically sign off on every decision. Even if the Court makes a unanimous ruling, this does not make it a per curiam decision. The decision must be unsigned for it to count as one of the relevant per curiam examples.
What is the most famous per curiam case?from legaldictionary.net
Perhaps the most famous example of per curiam to occur at the U.S. Supreme Court was Bush v. Gore (2000). In this case, the Florida Division of Elections reported that the Republican Presidential candidate, Governor George W. Bush, had won the presidential election in November of 2000. However, he only won by less than 0.5 percent of the votes, which, by law, triggers an automatic recount. Two days later, when the recount was complete in all but one county, Bush’s margin of victory had fallen.
What is the difference between en banc and en banc?from legaldictionary.net
The only difference here is that there are more judges present in an en banc session who can render a unanimous decision without specifying which judges authored it. Courts typically hold en banc sessions on specific issues when a case is particularly important or complex.
What is an en banc case?from legaldictionary.net
The term en banc refers to a situation wherein all of the judges of a court hears a case, rather than selecting certain justices to hear it. An en banc session can still result in a per curiam decision. The only difference here is that there are more judges present in an en banc session who can render a unanimous decision without specifying which judges authored it. Courts typically hold en banc sessions on specific issues when a case is particularly important or complex.
How many per curiam decisions were issued in 2016?from law.cornell.edu
For the 2016 term, the Supreme Court issued 9 per curiam decisions out of a total of 70 cases.
Which circuits have per curiam decisions?from en.wikipedia.org
The per curiam practices of the individual United States Courts of Appeal vary by judicial Circuit . The Second Circuit, for instance, issues its nonprecedential decisions as "summary orders" that do not designate an author but are also not labeled as per curiam opinions; occasionally, the court will issue precedential decisions with a per curiam designation. In the Third Circuit, by contrast, the majority of both precedential and nonprecedential decisions indicate the authoring judge, and the per curiam designation is generally, but not exclusively, reserved for dispositions on the court's pro se and summary action calendar.
What is a per curiam decision?from legaldictionary.net
The term per curiam refers to a decision made by a court of numerous judges, but without a particular author’s name attached to the decision. For example, per curiam decisions are typically short and concern issues that the court does not consider to be controversial in nature. However, this is not always the case, ...
What is a per curiam decision?
Overview. A per curiam decision is a court opinion issued in the name of the Court rather than specific judges. Most decisions on the merits by the courts take the form of one or more opinions written and signed by individual justices. Often, other judges/justices will join these opinions.
How many per curiam decisions were issued in 2016?
For the 2016 term, the Supreme Court issued 9 per curiam decisions out of a total of 70 cases.
Do judges join per curiam?
Often, other judges/justices will join these opinions. Even when these signed opinions are unanimous, they are not per curiam, as the judges'/justices' names still appear. Per curiam decisions are given that label by the court issuing the opinion, and these opinions tend to be short.
Is Bush v Gore a unanimous decision?
Per curiam decisions are not always unanimous and non-controversial. Bush v. Gore, 531 US 98 (2000) is one of the most well-known Supreme Court cases with a majority per curiam opinion that also contains additional opinions. According to this comprehensive 2015 study on Supreme Court decisions, "the Court decided 59.2 percent of the per curiam decisions by a unanimous vote compared with 36 percent of the cases resulting in a signed opinion."

Definition of Per CURIAM
What Is Per Curiam?
- The per curiam meaning refers to a written decision made on behalf of the entire court, rather than signed by one or several named judges. For example, per curiam decisions do not typically occur at the U.S. Supreme Court because one of the judges will typically sign off on every decision. Even if the Court makes a unanimous ruling, this does not m...
en Banc vs. Per CURIAM
- The term en banc refers to a situation wherein all of the judges of a court hears a case, rather than selecting certain justices to hear it. An en banc session can still result in a per curiam decision. The only difference here is that there are more judges present in an en banc session who can render a unanimous decision without specifying which judges authored it. Courts typica…
Examples of Per CURIAM Use
- Per curiam examples do not normally occur at the Supreme Court, but they are not unheard of. State courts, however, are a different story. Two courts that often issue per curiamexamples are the Supreme Courts of California and Florida, and the appellate courts in New York. For example, per curiam decisions issued by the Supreme Court of Florida typically concern the death penalty…
Per CURIAM Example Involving A Presidential Election
- Perhaps the most famous example of per curiam to occur at the U.S. Supreme Court was Bush v. Gore(2000). In this case, the Florida Division of Elections reported that the Republican Presidential candidate, Governor George W. Bush, had won the presidential election in November of 2000. However, he only won by less than 0.5 percent of the votes, which, by law, triggers an …
Related Legal Terms and Issues
- Appellate Court – A court having jurisdictionto review decisions of a trial-level or other lower court.