Decision versus opinion: distinguishes a court's judgment from the reasons explaining it and affects precedent reconsideration. A decision is the court's final determination or judgment resolving a cause, while an opinion comprises the reasons and legal exposition explaining that judgment. The judgment is the operative disposition between parties; the opinion is the judge's rationale. Rules for departing from binding precedent differ from the grounds for reconsidering a final judgment, so distinguishing judgment from reasoning is central to assessing precedential force and the mechanisms for altering rulings.