legal precedent
Court decision guide
Legal precedent is a court decision that establishes a principle or rule to be followed in future cases with similar facts or issues.
The doctrine holds that courts should decide cases consistently with prior rulings, creating stability and predictability in law.
Lawyers cite precedent to argue their cases; judges distinguish or overturn precedent when circumstances warrant.
The Supreme Court's ruling set a legal precedent for privacy rights.
- case lawJudge-made legal doctrine
- jurisprudencePhilosophy governing legal systems
- judicial reviewCourts invalidating unconstitutional acts
- common lawJurisprudence from judicial decisions
- appellate courtTribunal reviewing lower decisions
supreme court · court of appeals · appeal process · landmark · dissenting opinion · majority opinion · lower court · circuit court · due process · robes · gavel · ruling · opinion · authority · citation · chambers · constitutional · bench
- Roman LawRoman law, Corpus Juris Civilis, Justinian Code, Twelve Tables, Digest
- criminal justicearrest, jail, court, prison, crime
- criminal lawcrime, felony, misdemeanor, murder, robbery
- church-statechurch-state, separation, church-state separation, establishment clause, religious accommodation
- English JusticeOld Bailey, Crown Court, jury, trial by jury, magistrates
- legal historymedieval law, Roman law, Roman jurisprudence, common law, civil law
legal precedentstatute
Enacted written rule
legislation · statutory law · written law · civil code · executive order