May, when used in relation to an act to be performed by the court, means

• A. In the discretion of the court.
• B. Mandatory.
• C. Optional with court approval.
• D. Only if the court authorizes.

Answer: (A)

May in relation to an act to be performed by the court signals discretion. It means the court has the option to decide whether to act, rather than being required to act or needing outside authorization to do so. The act is permissible, and the court weighs the circumstances to determine if it should exercise that power.

This is why the option stating discretion is the best fit. It’s not describing something mandatory (that would be “shall” or “must”), nor something that requires external approval beyond the court’s own choice, nor something that happens only if the court explicitly authorizes—since “may” already centers the court’s own judgment and choice.