Allegation, Finding, Opinion: Three Words That Change Everything
Alleged means someone said it. Found means a court or an agency decided it. Opinion means a judgment call.
NU commentary. This is a labeling guide. It does not decide any case, and it does not describe any named person.
AI-assisted. Drafted with AI assistance. Disclosure and law references.
The three words
- Alleged means someone said it in a filing, a charge, or a claim. It is not a decision.
- Found means a court or an agency decided it. The document you want is the order, the ruling, or the agency decision, not the complaint.
- Opinion means a judgment call. A column, a quote, or NU's own read can all be opinion. Opinion is not the record.
NU labels which is which. This page is the checklist.
When a headline swaps them
- Does it say alleged, accused, charged, or claims? You are reading an allegation.
- Does it say found, held, ruled, convicted, or the agency determined? You are reading a finding. Open the decision.
- Does it say should, seems, or what it means? You are reading an opinion.
- If the headline turns one into another, go back to the document and put the label back.
The paper trail for step 2 starts at the docket. See Docket Basics. The reason the record outranks the headline is Primary vs. Secondary.
Not legal advice. "Found" here means a decision exists. It does not mean the decision was right, final, or the whole story.