Doctrine of Precedent

The Doctrine of Precedent, also known as stare decisis, is a legal principle that requires courts to follow previous rulings when making decisions on similar cases. This ensures consistency and predictability in the law, as lower courts must adhere to the interpretations made by higher courts. When a court faces a case with facts akin to earlier cases, it looks to those past decisions for guidance, effectively creating a body of case law. This principle helps uphold fairness in the judicial system by treating comparable cases alike, promoting stability within legal proceedings.