What is the difference between a decision and order?
Answer
Court Help's Legal Glossary defines the frequently used legal terms, decision, dispose, disposition, motion, opinion, and order.
During the time up to trial and the final decision issued by the judge, litigants will submit motions asking the court to settle procedural questions. The court resolves the procedural question through an order. The case is concluded by a decision (often called an opinion or disposition).
When a case is ended, it is listed as disposed.
Legal Glossary terms
decision: A court’s judgment or decree. See also decree or judgment.
dispose: To end a case.
disposition: The final decision in a case.
motion: A verbal or written request made by a party to the court to ask for something specific.
opinion: 1. The written explanation by the court about the decision in a case. 2. In an appeal when there is more than one Judge the decision is called the “majority decision.” Only the majority opinion can be used as binding precedent in future cases. See precedent, concur, and dissent
order: A spoken or written command or direction from a judge.