A court decision is a ruling by a judge on an issue that arises during a lawsuit. When a judge issues a decision, it is called a judgment and it determines the outcome of the lawsuit and what each party takes away from the case. Courts may also issue other rulings along the way to the final judgment such as what evidence can be allowed at trial.
In the US legal system, decisions of higher courts are considered to be binding on lower court judges by the principle of stare decisis, which means that a court is bound to follow its own previous decisions on similar cases. This practice is known as case law, and it is an important part of how the US legal system works.
Judges are not required to cite past judicial decisions in their own decisions, but they tend to do so. This is because citing a past decision makes it easier for the judge to decide on the facts of their own case and it gives a sense of continuity and regularity to legal decision making. Judges also cite past decisions to demonstrate that their own decision is in line with what other courts have said on the same topic.
When the Supreme Court decides on a case, the Justices will usually write an opinion that states the outcome of the case and explains their reasoning for reaching that outcome. Sometimes, less than a majority of Justices agree on the outcome and writing, which is why many decisions have dissenting and concurring opinions.
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