Which statement correctly distinguishes a judgment from an opinion of the court?

Which statement correctly distinguishes a judgment from an opinion of the court?

• A. The judgment is the ratio decidendi; the opinion is the final disposition.
• B. The judgment or fallo is the final disposition of the court, and the opinion is contained in the body that serves as guide to determine the ratio decidendi.
• C. The judgment is the body; the opinion is the dispositive portion.
• D. The judgment is the summary; the opinion is the full decision.

Answer: (B)

The essential distinction is that the judgment (fallo) is the final disposition—its operative ruling granting or denying relief—while the opinion is the written explanation in the body of the decision that guides you to the ratio decidendi, the legal principle or rule essential to uphold the outcome. The opinion lays out the reasoning, and may include obiter dicta that aren’t binding, whereas the judgment is what actually disposes of the case. So the statement aligns with the reality that the judgment is the final disposition and the opinion contains the reasoning used to determine the ratio decidendi.

The essential distinction is that the judgment (fallo) is the final disposition—its operative ruling granting or denying relief—while the opinion is the written explanation in the body of the decision that guides you to the ratio decidendi, the legal principle or rule essential to uphold the outcome. The opinion lays out the reasoning, and may include obiter dicta that aren’t binding, whereas the judgment is what actually disposes of the case. So the statement aligns with the reality that the judgment is the final disposition and the opinion contains the reasoning used to determine the ratio decidendi.