The Latin phrase “per curiam” is a legal term used to describe an opinion by a court or tribunal without a specified author, which is generally understood to have been the unanimous decision of all judges involved in the court proceedings.
When a court issue a per curiam opinion, it means that the court has considered the facts of the case, applies relevant laws, and reached a decision made by all judges; however, the opinion does not have the name of an individual judge attached to it.
Examples of Per Curiam Opinions
In India, the Supreme Court recently issued a per curiam opinion on a case concerning the rights of prisoners to marry in a jail. The court held that prisoners can legally marry in prison, with the permission of the jail authorities. The opinion was generally accepted by all the judges on the bench and did not have the name of any one judge attached to it.
In the United States, the Supreme Court issued a per curiam opinion in a case known as Bush v. Gore. In this case, the court ruled that manual recounts of votes by the Florida Supreme Court was unconstitutional and in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Conclusion
A per curiam opinion is typically issued when a court has come to a consensus on a decision, and the opinion is issued without naming any individual justices attached to it. When an opinion is issued in this way, it is recognized by all the judges on the bench and is binding for all purposes.