Find what the court actually decided
The holding is the court's answer to the legal question it had to decide, and it is the part of an opinion that later courts rely on. It is easy to confuse with a broad statement the court made along the way. Ask Search+ what the court held on each issue, and open the cited passage to read the decision in the court's words, alongside the disposition at the end.
Creating an account needs no payment.
Last updated October 2026
How to pin down the holding with Search+
- Upload the full opinion
Add the full opinion, including any concurrences or dissents filed with it. The holding is often stated near the start, restated in the analysis and confirmed in the conclusion.
- Ask for the issues first
Ask what issues the court said it was deciding. Then ask for the holding on each issue separately, since a single opinion can hold several things.
- Match the holding to the disposition
Ask how the court disposed of the case, such as affirming, reversing or remanding, and read both citations to confirm they fit together.
Questions about the holding
What did the court hold on each issue it identified?
Did the court decide the issue narrowly on these facts, or state a general rule?
Did the court affirm, reverse, vacate or remand, and on which issues?
Which questions did the court say it did not need to decide?
Is there a majority for the holding, or only a plurality with separate concurrences?
What to check when identifying a holding
The holding is what was necessary to resolve the case. Other statements, however quotable, carry less weight.
An opinion can hold one thing on jurisdiction and another on the merits. Ask about each issue separately.
Courts often limit a holding to the facts before them with phrases like "on this record". Those words matter when you apply the case elsewhere.
When no single opinion has a majority, identifying the controlling holding needs care. That is a question for legal analysis, not a reading tool.
Search+ cites the passage that states each holding, with a page reference when the opinion carries one, so you can read the words around it.
Holding language and what to ask next
| Wording you may see | What it usually signals | A follow-up question |
|---|---|---|
| "We hold that" | A direct statement of the holding | Which issue does this sentence decide? |
| "We conclude" | A conclusion on an issue | Is this conclusion necessary to the result? |
| "We need not decide" | An issue left open | Why did the court leave it open? |
| "Affirmed" or "Reversed and remanded" | The disposition | What does the lower court have to do next? |
| "on the facts of this case" | A narrow holding | Which facts limit the holding? |
What is the holding of a court opinion?
The holding is the court's determination of the legal question necessary to decide the case before it, applied to the facts of that case.
Questions about finding a holding
Can Search+ tell me the holding of a case?
What if the holding is spread across the opinion?
Can it tell me what the court left undecided?
Can I compare holdings across several opinions?
Is identifying the holding legal advice?
Read the decision, not just the headline
Start a workspace, upload the opinion, and ask what the court held.
Start a workspace