Editing Argumentation theory (section)

===Legal argumentation===
====By lawyers====
{{Main article|Oral argument|Closing argument}}

Legal arguments are spoken presentations to a [[judge]] or [[appellate court]] by a [[lawyer]], or parties when representing themselves of the legal reasons why they should prevail. Oral argument at the appellate level accompanies written briefs, which also advance the argument of each party in the legal dispute. A closing argument, or summation, is the concluding statement of each party's counsel reiterating the important arguments for the [[trier of fact]], often the jury, in a court case. A closing argument occurs after the presentation of evidence.

====By judges====
{{Main articles|Judicial opinion|Legal opinion|Ratio decidendi}}
A [[judicial opinion]] or [[legal opinion]] is in certain [[jurisdiction]]s a written explanation by a [[judge]] or group of judges that accompanies an order or ruling in a case, laying out the [[Justification (epistemology)|rationale (justification)]] and [[Legal doctrine|legal principles]] for the ruling.<ref name=KerrCM>{{cite web |url=http://euro.ecom.cmu.edu/program/law/08-732/Courts/howtoreadv2.pdf |title=How to Read a Judicial Opinion: A Guide for New Law Students |author= Orin S. Kerr |date=August 2005 |publisher=Carnegie Mellon; Computation Organizations & Society |access-date=15 March 2016}}</ref> It cites the [[Case law|decision]] reached to [[wikt:resolve|resolve]] the dispute. A judicial opinion usually includes the [[Reason (argument)|reasons]] behind the decision.<ref name=KerrCM/> Where there are three or more judges, it may take the form of a [[majority opinion]], [[minority opinion]] or a [[concurring opinion]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/judicial-opinion.html |title=judicial opinion |website=businessdictionary.com |access-date=15 March 2016 |archive-date=9 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609075543/http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/judicial-opinion.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>