True or False: 'May' means that the judge has permissible discretion.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not sure
• D. It depends

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that “may” signals permissive discretion. In legal wording, when a rule says a court or judge may do something, it means the action is allowed but not required. The judge has the option to exercise that power based on the facts and standards in a given case, rather than being obligated to act. For example, a court may grant a continuance for good cause; it can choose to grant or deny depending on circumstances, within the rules. That’s why the statement is true: it reflects that the judge has permissible discretion when the text uses “may.” The other options don’t fit because they’d imply no discretion, uncertainty, or a blanket dependence on context rather than the enablement that “may” provides.