The courts
syllabus
The official summary printed at the front of a Supreme Court opinion. Helpful, but expressly not part of the opinion and not law.
In full
The Reporter of Decisions prepares a syllabus summarizing each argued case's facts, holding, and vote lineup. Every syllabus carries the same caution, formalized after United States v. Detroit Timber & Lumber Co. (1906): it 'constitutes no part of the opinion of the Court.' Read it for orientation; cite the opinion.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.