DECISION
A conclusion reached after an evaluation of facts and law.
As a generic term, decision refers to both administrative and judicial determinations. It includes final judgments, rulings, and INTERLOCUTORY or provisional orders made by the court pending the outcome of the case. Frequently, a decision is considered the initial step in a rendition by a court of a judgment in an action.
When referring to judicial matters, a decision is not the same as an opinion, although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. A decision is the pronouncement of the solution of the court or judgment in a case, while an opinion is a statement of the reasons for its determination made by the court.
