Legal Definitions - concurrence

Definition: Concurrence refers to agreement or assent. It can also refer to a vote cast by a judge in favor of a judgment reached, often on different grounds than those expressed in the opinion or opinions explaining the judgment. Additionally, it can refer to a separate written opinion explaining such a vote. In a bicameral legislature, concurrence refers to the acceptance by one house of an amendment passed by the other house.

• After much discussion, the board came to a concurrence on the new policy.
• The judge cast a concurring vote, agreeing with the judgment but for different reasons than the other judges.
• Justice Stevens wrote a concurring opinion, explaining his reasoning for his vote.
• The Senate voted to accept the amendment passed by the House, showing concurrence between the two houses of the legislature.

These examples illustrate how concurrence can refer to agreement or assent in various contexts, such as in a board or legislative setting. It can also refer to a judge's agreement with a judgment but for different reasons, as seen in the example of a concurring vote or opinion.