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PaperclipPerfector  1mo ago (text post)   31693 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of January 26, 2026

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One would expect him to outline the factual circumstances of the arrest and why a warrant would be required in the first place.

No, one wouldn't expect that. Orders from trial courts seldom come with opinions. I file hundreds of motions per year and exactly zero have ended in a written opinion. If I'm lucky I might get an explanation from the bench. Usually the judge doesn't say anything but that he'll take it under advisement and he signs an order prepared by counsel a week later.

No, one wouldn't expect that. Orders from trial courts seldom come with opinions.

Are you talking about federal courts? It's pretty normal for federal courts to either file written opinions or to read an opinion into the record.

It's common, but I don't think you realize how many motions are filed in a typical case. Not many come with opinions, even the contested ones

It's common, but I don't think you realize how many motions are filed in a typical case. Not many come with opinions, even the contested ones

Just so we are clear, you are saying that it's common in federal court for judges to decide contested written motions without a formal explanation, either by way of a memorandum opinion or by reading the explanation orally into the record?

Is there any rule for which decisions come with opinions and which ones don’t?

For example, Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate Procedure § 1925:

Upon receipt of the notice of appeal, the judge who entered the order giving rise to the notice of appeal, if the reasons for the order do not already appear of record, shall within [60 days] file of record at least a brief opinion of the reasons for the order, or for the rulings or other errors complained of, or shall specify in writing the place in the record where such reasons may be found.

But that's specifically for decisions that are appealed.

Thanks for the clarification. I've read about five court opinions in my lifetime, so not very familiar with the standard structure.

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